CHICAGO -- Andrew Vaughn hit a timely home run for the second consecutive day.
This time, it put the Chicago White Sox ahead.
Vaughn’s two-run homer in the sixth inning gave the Sox the lead on the way to a 5-1 victory against the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a three-game series Monday in front of 14,629 at Guaranteed Rate Field.
Sunday, Vaughn hit a game-tying, pinch-hit solo home run in the ninth inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium.
He went 2-for-4 in his return to the lineup Monday.
Sox starter Lance Lynn was the story early, keeping his former team hitless for 5⅓ innings.
Cardinals designated hitter Paul Goldschmidt ended the no-hit bid with a one-out single in the sixth on a ball that got past drawn-in shortstop Tim Anderson. Tommy Edman, who had reached on a walk, scored to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead.
Yermín Mercedes singled with one out in the bottom of the sixth before Vaughn hit a 2-0 changeup for the go-ahead, two-out, two-run homer against Cardinals starter Kwang Hyun Kim. Anderson added a two-run double to right against Daniel Ponce de Leon later in the inning to stretch the lead to 4-1.
Lynn limited the Cardinals to one run on three hits while striking out four and walking three in seven innings.
The right-hander began his big-league career with the Cardinals as part of the 2011 World Series championship team managed by Tony La Russa. Lynn went 72-47 with the Cardinals from 2011 to 2017.
Monday marked his second start against the Cardinals. In the first one — May 16, 2018, while with the Minnesota Twins — he allowed three runs in three innings. This one went much better.
The Sox snapped a three-game losing streak, getting a win in La Russa’s first game managing against the Cardinals. He was their manager from 1996 to 2011.
