Murakami Homers Again But White Sox Sloppy in Loss to Brewers

Rookie slugger's defense shines, but Chicago's defensive miscues lead to 6-1 defeat

Mar. 29, 2026 at 5:07am

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Munetaka Murakami continued his hot start with another home run, but the White Sox were plagued by sloppy defense in a 6-1 loss to the Brewers. Murakami also flashed his leather with a diving stop, but the Sox' outfielders struggled, leading to three Milwaukee runs in the first two innings.

Why it matters

The loss drops the White Sox to 0-2 on the young season, continuing their struggles from Opening Day. While Murakami's power and defense provide a bright spot, the team's defensive woes raise concerns about their ability to compete in the AL Central.

The details

Murakami's 409-foot blast in the fourth inning was his second homer in as many games to start his MLB career. He also made a diving stop to rob Jake Bauers of extra bases. However, the Sox' defense let down starter Sean Burke, with left fielder Andrew Benintendi and right fielder Everson Pereira each making costly mistakes that led to three runs in the first two innings.

  • Murakami's home run came in the fourth inning.
  • The defensive miscues occurred in the first and second innings.

The players

Munetaka Murakami

A 26-year-old first baseman making his MLB debut with the White Sox after starring in Nippon Professional Baseball, where he hit 246 home runs for the Yakult Swallows.

Sean Burke

The 6-6 right-handed starting pitcher for the White Sox, who struck out five but surrendered seven hits and four runs in four innings of work.

Andrew Benintendi

The White Sox left fielder who struggled to track down deep fly balls, leading to a pair of Brewers runs.

Everson Pereira

The White Sox right fielder who made an ill-advised throw that contributed to a Brewers run.

Brice Turang

The Brewers outfielder who hit two doubles and scored two runs against the White Sox.

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What they’re saying

“Either way, if we win or lose, we are going to still keep playing. This is the reality. I think the team is really preparing to have this momentum going. We are very much pumped up each game.”

— Munetaka Murakami

What’s next

The White Sox will look to bounce back in the series finale against the Brewers on Sunday.

The takeaway

While Murakami's power and defense provide a bright spot, the White Sox' sloppy play in the field has put them in an early 0-2 hole to start the season, raising concerns about their ability to compete in the AL Central.