Half a game, and it changes everything
Petey Halpin got hold of one in the sixth. Three runs came around, and by the end of the night Cleveland had beaten Chicago 6-3 and taken sole possession of first place in the AL Central.
The rookie had help. Jo Adell knocked in two with a single, Jose Ramirez doubled in another. Parker Messick (12-9) gave the Guardians six innings and three runs, then handed it to Cade Smith, who struck out four and banked save number 37.
The lead is half a game. On September 17, that is plenty.
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Chicago held first place since July 4, and lost it in one night
That is the number worth sitting with. The White Sox had owned at least a share of the division since Independence Day, better than two months of it, and they gave it up with a fortnight left on the calendar.
The collapse was not sudden either. Seven losses in their last nine have eaten the cushion they spent the summer stacking up.
Tommy Pham gave them something. Activated off the injured list hours before first pitch, he hit a three-run shot in the fifth. Chicago still lost.
The Orioles are closing from behind
The division is only half the problem. Baltimore just swept three from the Mets and now sit two and a half games back of the White Sox for the third American League wild card.
So Chicago are being squeezed at both ends with 14 games to play. Cleveland spent most of the summer chasing this race and now control it outright, which is a reversal nobody in the Central saw coming in July.
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