Half a game. That’s it.
Half a game is all that’s between the White Sox and the Guardians as they open a three-game set in Cleveland on Monday night.
Chicago leads the American League Central at 76-73. Cleveland is right on its tail at 76-74. Nobody has any breathing room. Nobody can afford a slip.
The Guardians are rolling. They put nine runs on the Twins on Sunday in Minneapolis, winning 9-2, and suddenly they are back within touching distance of the top spot. They also sit in the third and final wild-card place in the American League, one win ahead of Toronto. Two races at once. No pressure then.
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Chicago stalling at the worst possible time
The White Sox, meanwhile, are dragging. Five losses in their last six. On Sunday in St. Louis, it was another one, 3-1. The killer stat: 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position.
“I don’t know how many times over the last two weeks we’ve loaded the bases and just couldn’t get the big hit,” Chicago manager Will Venable said. He is clinging to anything he can find. On Saturday, Randal Grichuk hit a two-run homer with two outs in the ninth to steal a 6-5 win over the Cardinals and snap a four-game skid. “The energy carried over, the vibe in the dugout before the game, during the game and through the first three innings was great,” Venable said.
On the other side, Stephen Vogt is enjoying the ride. “We know a big series is starting,” the Guardians manager said. His team belted three homers on Sunday: Jo Adell, his 21st, Steven Kwan, his third, and Travis Bazzana, his 12th. Tanner Bibee held on through the seventh to get the win.
Newcomb vs Williams, an odd-looking matchup
On the mound, Chicago is sending out left-hander Sean Newcomb, 2-4 with a 2.77 ERA. It is a curious call, with Davis Martin pushed back to Tuesday. Newcomb has mainly worked out of the bullpen this season: 54 appearances and only five starts, 84 1/3 innings and four saves. Against Cleveland, though, the numbers are nasty from the home side’s point of view, with a 0.87 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings.
Cleveland counters with Gavin Williams, 13-7 with a 3.78 ERA. The Guardians have won his last four starts. On September 6 against Detroit, he gave up two runs on four hits and struck out 11 without factoring in the decision, before a 3-2 win in 10 innings. Against the White Sox, though, the record is less impressive: 1-1 in six starts, a 4.91 ERA, 35 strikeouts and 14 walks in 29 1/3 innings.
Three games in Cleveland. Two teams separated by half a game. By Wednesday night, one of them will have opened up some space. Or maybe not.
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