Stewart, Suárez, Stephenson Homer as Reds Edge White Sox 9-8

Sal Stewart, Eugenio Suárez and Tyler Stephenson homered, and the Cincinnati Reds held off the Chicago White Sox for a 9-8 victory on Thursday.

Stewart scored four times and Suárez drove in four runs as Cincinnati took the rubber game in the three-game series. Tejay Antone (2-0) pitched a scoreless inning for the win, and Julian Garcia worked a shaky ninth for his second save.

Randal Grichuk had three RBIs for Chicago, which had won three of four. Chase Meidroth and Sam Antonacci each had two hits and scored two runs. Edgar Quero hit an RBI single for the AL Central leaders in the ninth, but Antonacci bounced to shortstop for the final out.

White Sox right-hander Davis Martin was ejected after throwing up and in on Stewart on consecutive pitches leading off the third, hitting the rookie slugger with the second one. Both benches and bullpens cleared, but order was quickly restored.

Stewart hit a 419-foot solo shot in the first for his 26th homer. Stephenson was hit by a pitch with two outs, and Suárez made it 3-0 with a two-run drive to left for his 18th of the season.

Grichuk hit a two-run double in Chicago's three-run second, but Suárez hit a tying sacrifice fly in the third and Cincinnati added four more in the fourth. Stewart singled in Ke'Bryan Hayes, giving the Reds a 5-4 lead, and one batter later Stephenson connected for a three-run shot off Erick Fedde (6-8).

Cincinnati tacked on another run in the sixth when Tanner McDougal walked the bases loaded before hitting Suárez with a 3-0 pitch in his major league debut.

Chicago closed to 9-7 on Andrew Benintendi's two-run single in the eighth, but Miguel Vargas struck out swinging on a full-count curveball from Pierce Johnson, stranding runners on the corners.

The Reds host Miami on Friday night with Chase Burns (13-2, 2.61 ERA) facing Sandy Alcantara (13-6, 3.52 ERA). The White Sox open a weekend series at Detroit, where Jackson Jobe (1-0, 0.00 ERA) starts for the Tigers.