Davis Martin threw six scoreless innings for his ninth win as the Chicago White Sox beat the Atlanta Braves 2-1 on Wednesday night to move into first place in the AL Central.

The White Sox have won seven straight at home and nine of 13 overall, including two straight against the major league-best Braves. Chicago moved one-half game ahead of Cleveland, which lost to the New York Yankees earlier Wednesday. This is the latest in the season the White Sox have led their division since 2021.

Martin (9-2) recorded his third outing of at least six innings without allowing a run this season. He gave up six hits, struck out six and walked one as he matched Aaron Ashby and Gavin Williams for the major league lead in victories.

White Sox right fielder Braden Montgomery, who doubled and hit a game-ending homer in his big league debut Tuesday, had two more doubles Wednesday.

Chris Sale (8-5) allowed two runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings for the Braves.

The White Sox went ahead in the fourth when Derek Hill singled in Montgomery, then scored on a grounder by Luisangel Acuña.

The Braves got on the board in the seventh against reliever Sean Newcomb when Miguel Vargas couldn't handle a grounder to third from Ozzie Albies, allowing Jorge Mateo to score from first base. Bryan Hudson pitched the ninth for his third save.

Chicago's Chase Meidroth extended his on-base streak to 21 games and his hitting streak to 11 games with an infield single in the third.

Martin stranded seven baserunners, pitching out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the second by striking out Mateo and getting Austin Wynns to line out.

Braves LHP Martín Pérez (4-3, 3.02 ERA) starts the final game of the series Thursday against White Sox LHP Anthony Kay (5-1, 4.40).

Acuña's strained hamstring lands him on 10-day Injured List

Ronald Acuña Jr. was placed on the 10-day injured list Wednesday by the Atlanta Braves because of a strained left hamstring.

The star right fielder got hurt Tuesday night during a 10-inning loss to the Chicago White Sox, when he pulled up limping after trying to beat out a grounder in the fourth.

Acuña was removed from the game, and an MRI on Wednesday showed the strain.

"Grade 1, so it's not terrible, but enough where we had to IL him," Braves manager Walt Weiss said, according to MLB.com. "We'd be waiting around a while, playing short-handed if we were waiting for it to heal. So we went ahead and put him on the IL."

It is Acuña's second left hamstring injury this season. He was on the 10-day injured list from May 3-18 with a strained left hamstring also sustained while attempting to run out a grounder.

"I don't think it's as severe as the last one, but still going to need some time," Weiss said.

The 28-year-old Acuña, the 2023 NL MVP and a five-time All-Star, is hitting .251 with seven homers, 22 RBIs, 15 steals and a .793 OPS for the Braves, who top the majors with a 45-23 record. They lead the NL East by eight games over Philadelphia.

Acuña also has endured two serious knee injuries in his career. He sustained a season-ending torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in May 2024, and tore his right ACL midway through the 2021 season.

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