This finale came on the heels of a wild set. Texas jumped out with an 11-2 rout in the opener behind Corey Seager's 3-hit night and a quality start from Kumar Rocker, briefly pushing the Rangers into sole possession of the AL West lead. Chicago answered by out-slugging Texas 11-7 in Game 2, a game that also featured what one Rangers beat reporter called the worst inning of Jacob deGrom's career.
Coming into Wednesday, both teams were treading water at 3-2 over their last five, and the identity of this series had already flipped once. Texas had the better recent stretch against everyone not named Chicago, while the White Sox had won their last game overall — the kind of split-personality form that made the rubber match tough to call on paper alone.
The injury math ended up mattering. Gore lasted just 3.2 innings and was tagged for 4 runs on 8 hits, while Chicago got 3 scoreless innings out of reliever Sean Newcomb to bridge a shaky start from Burke, who issued 8 walks in only 3 innings of work himself. Joc Pederson went deep for Texas, but rookie Tristan Peters and Bryce Doyle each connected for Chicago in a game the White Sox controlled from the middle innings on.
Chicago takes the series 2-1, a result that keeps the AL West picture muddled with Texas and Houston still separated by next to nothing. Neither team leaves this set feeling settled — the Rangers' bullpen questions aren't going away, and the White Sox still need their injured bats back before this offense can be trusted every night.