Austin Meadows homered and set a career high with four hits, Avisail Garcia connected against his former team and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Chicago White Sox 10-5 on Tuesday.

The Rays pounded Ervin Santana (0-1) and improved to 9-3, their best start in nine years. They also extended a club record by clinching their fourth straight series victory to start a season.

Meadows helped break open a game that lasted 3 hours, 56 minutes. He singled and scored in the first, hit a two-run drive in the second and added an RBI single during a two-run fourth in which Tampa Bay chased Santana. He also walked with the bases loaded in the ninth.

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Garcia smacked a solo homer in the second and finished with three hits, giving him five in the past two games. The White Sox opted not to offer him a contract in the offseason, parting ways after 5½ years, and he signed with Tampa Bay.

Brandon Lowe chipped in with a sacrifice fly in the first and a solo homer in the third. Charlie Morton (2-0) went five innings, allowing two runs and three hits.

Santana got tagged for seven runs and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings after the White Sox purchased his contract from Triple-A Charlotte. The two-time All-Star missed most of last season with Minnesota because of an injured right middle finger. He signed a minor league contract in February.

Yoan Moncada knocked a two-run homer in the third. Tim Anderson had two hits, including an RBI single in a three-run eighth. But with Chicago trailing by three, pinch-hitter Adam Engel struck out swinging at a 3-2 pitch with the bases loaded to end that rally.

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Watch Austin Meadows, Charlie Morton, Avisaíl García and Kevin Cash of the Tampa Bay Rays break down the team’s win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday afternoon.

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Trainer’s room

Rays: 2B Joey Wendle (strained left hamstring) ran on a treadmill for the second straight day, manager Kevin Cash said. Cash also said 3B Matt Duffy (back/left hamstring) has been ramping up his rehab.

White Sox: Manager Rick Renteria had no timetable on when OF Jon Jay will return and said it’s a “safe bet” Jay will go on a rehab assignment before he is activated. Jay has been sidelined since last month because of a strained right hip that has caused pain in the groin area.

Up next

Rays: RHP Tyler Glasnow (2-0, 0.82 ERA) looks to continue his dominant start. He tossed three-hit ball over six scoreless innings at San Francisco last week after holding Houston to one run over five innings.

White Sox: RHP Reynaldo López (0-1, 10.00) tries to get on track after two shaky outings. He has allowed a combined 10 runs on 12 hits over nine innings against Kansas City and Seattle.

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Meadows Gets 4 Hits, Rays Beat White Sox 10-5