With 4 HRs in win vs. D-backs, Sox manage to one-up '05 world champs

CHICAGO -- There aren't many comparisons between the 2005 White Sox and the squad's 2024 version.

Aside from wearing White Sox uniforms and playing their home games at 35th and Shields on the South Side of Chicago, there are none.

That '05 team won its 19th game on May 3, something the '24 White Sox finally accomplished Saturday night at Chase Field via a 9-2 victory over the Diamondbacks. Through 72 games, the '05 squad had a 50-22 record. The '24 version improved to 19-53 with their comfortable seven-run decision.

Let's not even get into the four straight complete games thrown by the '05 White Sox during a five-game American League Championship Series victory over the Angels, which almost certainly never will be witnessed again.

There is one common bond between the World Series champs and the team on its way toward 100 losses. Through 14 games in June, the '05 squad hit 24 home runs for the franchise record. With four homers Saturday, the '24 team now has broken that mark with 25.

Paul DeJong, Andrew Vaughn, Lenyn Sosa and Korey Lee cleared the fences, with Vaughn and Sosa driving in three apiece. Sosa finished a triple short of the cycle.

"On the offensive side, we're in a positive moment, a good moment," said Sosa through interpreter Billy Russo. "Like everything, that's contagious."

"We have some guys here who can hit homers and now you are seeing it," manager Pedro Grifol said. "Vaughnie is swinging the bat and now you are seeing him drive the ball. Lee has some power. DeJong is proving he's still got it. Homers win games, especially when you walk right before them. Crooked numbers are a big deal."

This 12-hit White Sox attack, featuring six extra-base hits, made a winner of Erick Fedde (5-1). The right-hander has been one of the AL's steadiest pitchers, let alone showing strong at the top of the White Sox rotation, but did the job Saturday without his best stuff.

Fedde gave up eight hits over 108 pitches, matching a season high, but he didn't issue a walk and struck out six to minimize the damage. The Diamondbacks (34-37) held a 1-0 lead in the second when they loaded the bases with one out on three singles, only to have Fedde strike out Corbin Carroll on a borderline 3-2 pitch and retire Ketel Marte on a ground ball to second baseman Danny Mendick.

Despite throwing 24 pitches in the first inning, Fedde made it through six.

"My goal for the day was to try to get leadoff guys out and try to minimize the run game. I did a terrible job of that," a smiling Fedde said. "But I was able to minimize, for the most part. It was great the guys gave me a lead, so in the fifth inning when I had first and third I was like, just worry about getting outs at that point. The offense gave me some leeway and I was able to get out of some jams."

"He competed. He didn't have his best stuff today," catcher Martin Maldonado said. "Even in the bullpen, he didn't have his best game, but he competed and gave us a chance."

DeJong's home run to right-center in the fourth off one-time White Sox reliever Thyago Vieira gave him a team-best 14 for the season and gave the White Sox a 2-1 lead. After a prolonged start to the season, Vaughn has five homers and 10 RBIs over his last 16 games.

It was a slow start for the White Sox offense, especially in the power department. With 20 homers total in May and 15 in April. No, they aren't precisely reminding anyone of the dominant '05 squad, but aside from their new team mark, they also rank second behind Baltimore for AL homers in June.

"Everybody is finding their approach, being more comfortable at the plate," Maldonado said. "We've been facing good pitching and [Luis] Robert Jr., DeJong and Vaughie are swinging the bat good, and the results are there. Today we swung the bat really good.

"We're putting good at-bats together as a team. As a team, we haven't been trying to do too much. In the beginning, as a team, we tried to do way too much."