Chicago White Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas received some All-Star company over the weekend when first baseman Munetaka Murakami and center fielder Tristan Peters were added to the American League roster.“It’s an honor,” Peters said Saturday at Rate Field. “We had one to begin with, and we knew we had more players worthy of this All-Star Game. I still think we do.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHere’s a memorable moment from the first half for each of the three Sox All-Stars.The game: April 22 at Arizona Diamondbacks.The moment: Murakami showed that home runs can come in bunches. He tied a Sox record by homering in his fifth consecutive game during an 11-7 loss at Chase Field in Phoenix.Murakami hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning against Diamondbacks reliever Ryan Thompson. He joined A.J. Pierzynski (2012), Paul Konerko (2011), Carlos Lee (2003), Frank Thomas (twice in 1994), Ron Kittle (1983) and Greg Luzinski (1983) as Sox players to homer in five straight games.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe stretch began April 17 with a grand slam in the seventh against the Athletics in West Sacramento, Calif. He hit a solo home run in the seventh a day later and a two-run blast in the fifth in the finale of the three-game series April 19.Murakami hit another solo shot April 21 at Arizona that began a string of back-to-back-to-back home runs (followed by Vargas and Colson Montgomery). The two-run homer April 22 was the final one of the power stretch.Murakami’s wasn’t the only streak at the time. Vargas and Montgomery also homered in that game, Vargas’ third straight with a home run and Montgomery’s fourth.The quote: “We’re definitely influencing each other and happy the three of us (Murakami, Vargas and Montgomery) hit (home runs), and all of the lineup getting a lot of runs in is obviously a good thing.” — Murakami through an interpreterAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe game: May 29 vs. Detroit Tigers.The moment: Vargas has had two games with at least five RBIs. He collected six March 30 at the Miami Marlins, a game that included a grand slam. And he had five RBIs on June 26 during the 22-1 crushing of the Kansas City Royals. He hit a three-run homer in that game.His biggest home run came against the Tigers at Rate Field. Murakami had exited earlier that evening with the right hamstring strain that would lead to a lengthy stint on the injured list.The game went to extra innings. The Tigers scored once in the top of the 10th. Vargas came up with two outs and the automatic runner on second base.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHe hit an 0-1 changeup from Drew Anderson over the left-field wall for a walk-off, two-run homer. Vargas jump-skipped his way around the bases after the big swing.The quote: “I tried to drive in the runner and put the team in position to where we can win the game. I got lucky. I got the right pitch and put a good swing on it and we got good results.” — VargasTh
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