Sean Burke got the ball for Chicago looking to snap a three-game skid, and Parker Messick took the mound for Cleveland trying to keep the Guardians' roll going. Burke came in 5-4 with a 3.54 ERA, quietly one of the more reliable arms in the White Sox rotation this year. Messick entered 7-5 at 2.83, emerging as a legit All-Star candidate for a Cleveland staff that's carried the club all season.
Cleveland was without Jose Ramirez, who's still working back from hamate surgery, and Angel Martinez, sidelined with a fractured foot after fouling one off himself against Detroit — Martinez was leading the team in home runs when he went down. That's two everyday bats missing from a lineup that had to grind out its last two wins in extra-inning, walk-off fashion. Chicago, meanwhile, came in banged up in its own outfield with Everson Pereira and Austin Hays both unavailable.
None of that stopped Cleveland from riding a five-of-seven stretch into this one as first-place owners of the AL Central. The White Sox had dropped the first two games of this series to walk-off finishes, so a series sweep was very much in play before first pitch at 7:10 PM ET.
It didn't happen. Austin Hedges got the Guardians on the board with a solo shot in the 5th, but Colson Montgomery answered late, and the White Sox tacked on enough in the final innings to escape with a 3-1 win. It was a clean response for Chicago after a series that had already turned testy — White Sox pitcher Anthony Kay and manager Will Venable both suggested Cleveland's grounds crew slow-played the tarp during Friday's rain delay to help set up the go-ahead homer, a claim that added some real heat to a series that didn't need extra motivation.
Cleveland's two errors in the finale were uncharacteristic and costly against a White Sox club that doesn't need much room to operate right now. Chicago's turnaround under Venable has been one of the stories of the season, and salvaging the finale after two walk-off gut-punches says something about a clubhouse that isn't rattled easily.
- 7-Day ILEverson Pereira RF — Pereira (concussion) is making progress in his recovery but is still experiencing concussion symptoms, MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILMunetaka Murakami 1B — Manager Will Venable said Monday that Murakami (hamstring) traveled with the team for its road trip and is considered day-to-day, but the White Sox haven't yet established a timeline for the first baseman to begin a rehab assignment, MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILTyler Gilbert RP — The White Sox placed Gilbert on the 15-day injured list Wednesday with a left shoulder impingement.
- 60-Day-ILAustin Hays LF — Hays has been pulled off his rehab assignment at Triple-A Charlotte due to a recurrence of left calf soreness, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILJordan Leasure RP — Leasure (forearm) said Friday that he will be shut down from throwing for four weeks, James Fegan of SoxMachine.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILKy Bush SP — Bush (elbow) had a setback in his recovery from Tommy John surgery and is unlikely to return until the second half of the season, MLB.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILDrew Thorpe SP — Thorpe (elbow) recently underwent an appendectomy but has resumed throwing, MLB.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILPrelander Berroa RP — Berroa is dealing with right elbow inflammation and will have his rehab stint paused, James Fegan of SoxMachine.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILJose Ramirez 3B — Ramirez had stitches removed from his left hand Tuesday and could soon begin swinging a bat as the next step in his rehab process, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILAngel Martinez LF — Martinez (foot) has shed his walking boot, is playing catch and hitting off a batting tee, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.
Cleveland still holds the division lead and gets Ramirez back on some kind of runway soon, but missing two regulars against a scrappy White Sox team cost them a series sweep they were one win away from completing.