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...