Fueled by successive one-run victories against the rival Cleveland Guardians, the Chicago White Sox have won nine straight home series.
On Wednesday afternoon, Chicago will try for a sweep in an American League Central showdown that has seen the team grab a one-game division lead over Cleveland.
The White Sox have won 22 of their past 26 games at Rate Field entering the finale of a three-game set.
“The fans, you know,” Chicago manager Will Venable said of the crowds, which have averaged 26,017 in the first two games of the series. “These guys respond to our fans, who are coming out and just doing a great job of giving them energy, and we’ve seen it every night we’ve been here.”
Cleveland out-hit Chicago 6-3 on Tuesday but lost 2-1. Kahlil Watson and Austin Hedges contributed two hits apiece, with Watson delivering his first career home run.
Parker Messick added 7 2/3 innings of two-run ball with a career-high 10 strikeouts. Still, the Guardians couldn’t break through against White Sox pitchers Sean Burke and Sean Newcomb.
“I think we’re playing the guys that we want to play, and I think we’re matching up when we need to, when we have to,” Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said of his offense.
“But we’ve got to trust all 13 (position players) like we are. We’re figuring it out, but we’re just not getting anything going right now, and it’s tough.”
Miguel Vargas’ go-ahead solo home run leading off the sixth inning — his career-best 17th homer of the season — was the difference for Chicago.
“Vargy just continues to make good swing decisions, and he’s putting really good swings on good pitches to hit,” Venable said.
Colson Montgomery drove in Chicago’s first run with an RBI single, stopping a slide of four straight games without a hit.
Right-hander Tanner Bibee (2-8, 4.03 ERA) will start for the Guardians on Wednesday as he aims to win for the third time in four starts this month.
After blazing through Texas and Detroit to the tune of two runs and five hits in 15 innings to begin the month, Bibee took the loss at Houston on Friday. He yielded four runs (three earned) and four hits in 5 1/3 innings, with two walks and seven strikeouts. He left with the lead, but the bullpen was unable to preserve it, as Cleveland fell 9-3.
“Obviously, I want to stay out there,” Bibee said. “But, like I’ve said before, it’s Vogt’s job to tell me when I’m done. He told me I was done.”
Bibee has pitched effectively against the White Sox in his career, going 4-0 with a 4.06 ERA in five starts, with 30 strikeouts in 31 innings.
Right-hander Erick Fedde (2-6, 4.46 ERA) is set to start for the White Sox on Wednesday after working in bulk relief in his past three outings. He suffered the loss at Detroit on Friday, allowing two runs and four hits in 4 2/3 innings with one walk and four strikeouts in a 4-3 defeat.
After yielding at least one home run in nine of his 10 appearances in April and May, Fedde has allowed just one in 17 1/3 innings this month.
He is 2-0 with a 3.52 ERA in five career appearances against Cleveland covering 23 innings, including four starts.
–Field Level Media
