Sosa's first HR helps White Sox salvage split with Royals
Lenyn Sosa's second tour of duty with the White Sox was expected to be as brief as his first.
The infield prospect made his major-league debut in late June but was back in the minor leagues after only four games.
Sosa rejoined the Sox from Class AAA Charlotte Sunday, ostensibly to replace shortstop Tim Anderson while he served his two-game suspension for making contact with home-plate umpire Nick Mahrley during a July 29 game against the Athletics.
The plan quickly changed when Anderson injured the middle finger on his left hand. He's having surgery Thursday and is expected to miss six weeks.
Sosa is a versatile infielder and he's positioned to play plenty of shortstop in place of Anderson.
The 22-year-old Venezuela native was at second base in Game 2 against the Royals Tuesday night.
Sosa hit his first home run and that sparked the White Sox to a 3-2 win over Kansas City at Kauffman Stadium.
The Sox lost Game 1, 4-2.
In the nightcap, Sosa (2-for-4) homered off K.C. starter Jonathan Heasley in the third inning. He also singled in the fifth and was robbed of a hit in the seventh inning on a diving catch by Royals right fielder Nate Eaton.
"It was a special homer, a very special moment," Sosa told reporters through a translator. "I was just thinking about the happiness my family was feeling in that moment."
Sosa didn't get much of a look in his first stop with the Sox, but now he's going to be thrown into the three-team race to win the AL Central.
"It's the fighting mindset," said Davis Martin, who started Game 2, got the win after giving up 1 run in 5.1 innings and was optioned back to Charlotte. "Whoever's active, we're going to go out there and fight for nine innings to win a baseball game. Lenyn, I've played with his since 2019 in low Class A (Kannapolis) and I know what he's going to bring."
Yoan Moncada also hit a solo home run in Game 2 and Gavin Sheets had an RBI double.
In 85 combined games with Charlotte and Class AA Birmingham this season, Sosa hit .316/.367/.512 with 16 home runs and 58 RBI.