Inside-the-park homer feels right as career-first for White Sox rookie grinder Sam Antonacci

PHOENIX — Sam Antonacci can hit it over the fence. The Springfield native hit seven home runs in the minor leagues and one in the World Baseball Classic for Team Italy.

But it just feels right that the first big-league four-bagger for the White Sox’ rookie utility player was of the inside-the-park variety.

“No one was putting their hands up, so I just kept running,” Antonacci said Tuesday after becoming the first Sox player to leg out his first career homer since Kevin Bell in 1976. “[It] kind of exemplifies who I am as a player… I feel like a normal player would just cruise in, standing up at second.

“[I] just wanted the extra base. I wasn’t going to say anything. I was just going to take it,” said Antonacci, a self-described grinder.

And take it he did, after Arizona left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. took it for granted that the play was dead when a field attendant touched Antonacci’s grounder down the line. Umpires didn’t stop the play, and although replay video clearly showed interference, they ruled it wasn’t reviewable.

Antonacci didn’t sweat it out while umps conferred on the controversial play, but the 23-year-old was gasping for air. “I was honestly catching my breath. I was a little out of shape on that run,” Antonacci laughed.

He came closer to a garden-variety inaugural home run earlier in the game, crushing a 408-foot drive that caromed off the wall in right-center field. He settled for his first career triple on a cathartic, three-RBI night following a tough first week at the plate (2-for-16) since his April 15 call-up.

“A little bit of a slow start, but I like where I’ve been at, and the at-bats I’ve been taking,” Antonacci said.

Colson Montgomery, who hit one of the Sox’ three other home runs in their series-opening win, said he would’ve gladly taken an inside-the-parker over the one he lined around the right-field foul pole for his first homer last July in Tampa. “That’s sick. That’s unique.”

But color Munetaka Murakami unimpressed with Antonacci’s first dinger.

“I want him to hit a normal home run,” the Sox’ preeminent power hitter joked.

Mune’s no slug

Murakami hustled out a pair of infield singles Tuesday night, the first off a 100-mph rocket that got stuck in Nolan Arenado’s glove and another on screaming grounder to Geraldo Perdomo, whose throw couldn’t beat the Sox slugger to first.

“I think Will thinks I’m a bit slow on the feet, so I’m just going to try to tell him that I can kind of run fast,” said Murakami, who’s pushing manager Will Venable for a green light to his first career steal.

“We saw his speed down the line today, which was cool. He runs hard,” Venable conceded. “He’s really filling out his game. It’s more than just the slug as we’re seeing, and obviously the slug is impressive as well.”

Burke back on the board

Sox starter Sean Burke’s six serviceable innings on Tuesday earned him his first win in 10 months. He’d gone 16 appearances (11 starts) since his last one, which was also over the D-backs on June 25, 2025.

“I didn’t know,” said Burke, who’s 1-2 with a 4.10 ERA in five outings this year, covering 26 ⅓ innings with 20 strikeouts and seven walks. “That’s too long. Can’t let that happen again.”