Miguel Vargas hit a two-run home run and Kyle Teel had a two-run double in a decisive six-run sixth inning to lead the visiting Chicago White Sox to a 7-3 victory against the Cleveland Guardians on Monday.
Andrew Benintendi was 3-for-5 with a run and an RBI, and Sean Burke (9-7) pitched five innings of relief, allowing one unearned run on four hits and two walks while striking out four. Vargas finished with two hits and two runs as the White Sox (77-73) extended their American League Central lead to 1 1/2 games over the Guardians.
Pinch hitter David Fry hit a two-run shot for the Guardians (76-75).
Chicago’s leadoff hitter reached base in the first, third and fourth innings, yet the White Sox didn’t open the scoring until the sixth.
Cleveland shortstop Brayan Rocchio made a diving stab of Benintendi’s grounder up the middle, but couldn’t get a handle on the ball, and the frame started with an infield single.
Tristan Peters coaxed a walk on an 18-pitch at-bat, and Tim Herrin relieved Cleveland starter Gavin Williams (13-8). Colson Montgomery’s two-hopper was fielded by Nathaniel Lowe at first. Lowe’s throw to second struck Peters in the back of the helmet, allowing Benintendi to score on the throwing error.
Chase Meidroth lined an RBI single to left, scoring Peters for a 2-0 Chicago lead. Randal Grichuk roped a single to left to load the bases before Teel’s two-run double gave Chicago a 4-0 lead. Grichuk was thrown out trying to score.
Cleveland went to the bullpen for the second time in the inning, and Daniel Espino replaced Herrin. Vargas greeted Espino with his two-run homer to deep left, his 31st of the year.
The Guardians cut their deficit to 6-1 in their half of the inning when Montgomery dropped Jose Ramirez’s pop-up for an error, allowing Patrick Bailey to score.
Travis Bazzana steered a double inside the third base bag to lead off the seventh for Cleveland, and Hagen Smith relieved Burke. Smith struck out three straight to end the inning.
Williams allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits and three walks and seven strikeouts over five innings.
Benintendi’s RBI single in the ninth gave Chicago a 7-1 lead before Fry hit a two-run homer in the bottom half.
–Field Level Media
