CHICAGO -- The White Sox reached .500 with a 5-1 thumping of the Rays on Thursday afternoon at Rate Field, marking a third straight series win for the South Siders.

That’s .500, of course, since the All-Star break, at 25-25, but for their resurgence within this latest rebuild, that number certainly matters. The White Sox (57-90) reached that break-even point with their ninth win in the last 11 games.

Shane Smith earned the victory, with 5 2/3 scoreless innings, four strikeouts and one walk. Since the start of August, the right-hander has allowed 14 earned runs over 44 1/3 innings to go with 41 strikeouts and 16 walks. Smith was supported by Colson Montgomery’s two-run single in the first, giving the rookie shortstop 47 RBIs over 46 games played since the All-Star break, and then the W

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