Brewers sweep White Sox, Carlos Santana hits 3-run homer

CHICAGO - Carlos Santana hit a three-run homer and Freddy Peralta pitched six scoreless innings to help the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Chicago White Sox 7-3 on Sunday and complete a three-game sweep.

Christian Yelich added a two-run single for Milwaukee, which pushed its NL Central lead to 3 1/2 games after the Chicago Cubs fell at Toronto.

"Knowing we have the Cubs behind us playing pretty good and the Reds are close, too," Peralta said after his fourth straight quality start. "I knew it was going to be an important day for us, and I was able to do the job."

White Sox starter Dylan Cease (5-6) gave up two runs on five hits in seven innings. The 2022 AL Cy Young runner-up missed a shot at a second straight win after striking out seven and walking two.

Peralta (9-8) scattered four hits and struck out six while walking three for his third straight victory.

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"Great start. Kinda got better as the game went on," manager Craig Counsell said of the right-hander. "He pitched a nice game. Put zeroes up, and we got him a lead and, fortunately, expanded it late."

Chicago’s Carlos Pérez prevented a shutout with a two-out RBI double in the ninth off reliever J.C. Mejía. Elvis Andrus later added a two-run single.

"On the offensive side, we didn’t get anything done until that last inning," White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said. "Peralta kept us in check all game long."

Mark Canha’s second-inning sacrifice fly gave the Brewers the lead for good and Andruw Monasterio doubled in another run in the fifth. Reliever Aaron Bummer issued a pair of walks in the eighth before Santana drove his 15th homer of the season into right center field.

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Yelich added to the lead in the ninth off Declan Cronin.