Three weeks of waiting, then one into the seats
Miguel Vargas had not really connected on anything of note since August 21. Nothing. Just one extra-base hit in three weeks for the White Sox third baseman.
On Monday in Cleveland, he launched his 31st homer of the season over the wall. Two runs in the process, in a sixth inning where Chicago blew it open with six runs in one burst. Final score: 7-3.
“It had been a while since I’d done that,” Vargas said. “It feels good to get that feeling back. We haven’t played our best baseball lately, but we’ve hung in there.”
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A race nobody saw coming
The White Sox are 77-73. The Guardians are 76-75. A game and a half separate them at the top of the American Central, and Chicago now owns the season-series tiebreaker too.
Will Venable is enjoying every second of it. His team wasn’t meant to be anywhere near this conversation in spring.
“That’s why you sign up, that’s why the season is special,” the manager said before Monday’s game. “I’m pretty sure nobody had us in this spot. We’re going to keep pushing and try to win ballgames.”
Across the dugout, Stephen Vogt isn’t panicking. “This team isn’t going to let one loss beat it up. There are two more games in this series. We know what we’re dealing with. We know it’s an 11-game sprint to the finish.”
The Cleveland manager also admitted the threat on the other side. “They’ve got a very good offence. When you’ve got a very good offence, the game isn’t over until the 27th out.”
A pitching matchup that looks one-sided on paper
Cleveland is still waiting on word on Angel Martinez. The left fielder was holding his right side after a half-swing in the seventh inning, and he came out as a precaution.
On the mound, Chicago sends lefty Davis Martin (9-7, 4.05 ERA). His record against the Guardians is ugly: 1-3 with a 6.56 ERA in six career starts, and a 6.23 mark this season.
Foster Griffin gets the ball for Cleveland. The left-hander is 15-5 with a 3.65 ERA, tied for third in the majors in wins. His last outing was a disaster in Baltimore: eight runs allowed in two and one-third innings.
Eleven games. A game and a half. Chicago is in front.
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