White Sox drop rubber game to Guardians, slip out of 1st place in AL Central

CLEVELAND -- For the first time since July 3, the White Sox are not sitting atop the American League Central.

Sean Newcomb allowed a three-run, go-ahead homer to Petey Halpin in the sixth inning as the Guardians moved into first place in the division with a 6-3 White Sox loss on Wednesday afternoon.

Cleveland (78-75) took a half-game lead over Chicago (77-75) by winning the final two contests in the three-game series at Progressive Field. The White Sox now hold the final AL Wild Card position by 1 1/2 games over the Rangers.

Newcomb relieved Hagen Smith with two on and two outs in the sixth, but was greeted by Petey Halpin’s Statcast-projected 393-foot homer to right. David Fry and Austin Hedges, who were both walked by Smith, came around to give the Guardians a 5-3 lead.

Cleveland added an RBI double from José Ramírez to extend its advantage to 6-3.

Tommy Pham belted a three-run homer off All-Star Parker Messick in the fifth, propelling Chicago in front at 3-2. Chase Meidroth and Randal Grichuk scored on the two-out, Statcast-projected 412-foot shot to the bleachers in left-center.

Pham had been out with a strained left calf since Sept. 3, but was activated from the injured list before the game.

Messick (12-9) struck out eight over six innings for the win and Cade Smith earned his 37th save in 42 opportunities. Newcomb (2-4) did not retire a batter and gave up two runs on two hits and a pair of walks.

The Guardians went up 2-0 in the third on Jo Adell’s two-run liner over shortstop Luisangel Acuña, plating Halpin and Steven Kwan with two outs. Both runs were unearned because of an unusual error by second baseman Meidroth.

Meidroth attempted to tag Halpin on a potential double play off the bat of Kwan, but the ball slipped out of his glove and both runners reached base. Adell singled off White Sox starter Anthony Kay two batters later.

Chicago third baseman Colson Montgomery exited in the fifth with a bruised left wrist after being hit by a Messick pitch the previous inning. X-rays taken at the ballpark were negative and he is considered day-to-day.

Munetaka Murakami, who is hitting .100 with 50 strikeouts in his last 26 games, replaced Montgomery. Manager Will Venable said the All-Star rookie will return to the starting lineup on Thursday against the Tigers.