CHICAGO -- Detroit scored nine unanswered runs, including five in the eighth off Sean Newcomb and Bryan Hudson, to hand the White Sox an 11-8 loss and deliver an instant gut punch to the South Siders’ American League Central title hopes.
The Guardians defeated the Athletics, 5-3, at Progressive Field, meaning Cleveland (79-75) now holds a one-game lead over Chicago (78-76). But the White Sox hold the tiebreaker by virtue of winning the season series (7-6).
Hao-Yu Lee delivered the game-tying home run off Newcomb in that fateful eighth, with Dillon Dingler singling home the go-ahead run after Gleyber Torres was picked off first base by Hudson. Riley Greene added a two-run homer off Hudson.
The White Sox scored six unearned runs in the first inning sparked by three walks, a hit-by-pitch, a wild pitch and two errors by Detroit. Colson Montgomery drove home three with a bases-clearing double down the right-field line, and Miguel Vargas finished the rally with a run-scoring double.
Vargas then homered in the third, a two-run shot matching Munetaka Murakami with a team-best 32 long balls, to give the White Sox an 8-2 lead. Detroit’s comeback began soon thereafter.
Kevin McGonigle tripled home three runs in the fifth off starter David Sandlin, but the White Sox also lost Tristan Peters on the play. The right fielder crashed into the right-center-field wall in trying to make the play and was replaced by Braden Montgomery.
Hagen Smith stranded McGonigle at third, striking out Dingler, Greene and Spencer Torkelson, but it was Montgomery who kept Chicago ahead for the time being in the seventh. Javier Báez hit a sinking liner to right off Newcomb trapped by Montgomery. He quickly got to his feet and easily threw out Greene at the plate to end the inning. But the Tigers scored five in the next inning to even the four-game series.