By Salem Chicago News Staff
CHICAGO — The White Sox waited out a three-hour, 50-minute rain delay and then pounded the Detroit Tigers 8-1 in just two hours and 50 minutes of game time Sunday evening at Rate Field.
The victory gave Chicago three wins in four games against Detroit this weekend and kept the White Sox one game behind the Cleveland Guardians in the American League Central with six games remaining.
The delay was so long that the team allowed fans to leave the ballpark and re-enter. Those who stayed received $5 hot dogs and watched the Bears’ game at nearby Soldier Field on the center-field scoreboard via split-screen with a weather radar.
Offense Delivers After the Wait
Braden Montgomery doubled home a run off Detroit starter Troy Melton in the second inning for the game’s first run. Sam Antonacci provided the big blow in the fourth, doubling home two runs with two outs after Brenton Doyle beat out an infield grounder and Kyle Teel singled to right.
Chase Meidroth added a two-run home run in the fifth, his 15th of the season, and the White Sox tacked on two more in the eighth.
Starter Davis Martin held the Tigers scoreless for 4 1/3 innings before being pulled at 70 pitches. Reliever Hagen Smith walked the bases loaded in the fifth but struck out Kevin McGonigle and retired Riley Greene on a groundout to escape the jam.
Postseason Push
The White Sox (80-76) hold a three-game lead over both Atlanta and Toronto for the third American League Wild Card spot. Chicago’s postseason positioning became clearer before the first pitch, thanks to the extended rain delay, as Atlanta completed a sweep of Houston and Toronto beat the Rangers earlier in the day.
Miguel Vargas fueled Saturday’s 3-1 win with his team-leading 33rd home run and became the first player in White Sox history to record at least 30 doubles, 30 homers, 20 stolen bases and 100 runs scored in a season.
“That’s what I work for. That’s why I wake up every day and work so hard for these types of moments,” Vargas said. “This group has been pushing me every single day.”
Starting pitcher Sean Burke called Vargas’ late-season surge essential.
“Even down the stretch, he’s turned it up another notch on both sides of the ball, which is huge to see,” Burke said.
The White Sox continue their homestand with games remaining against division rivals as they push for their first postseason appearance in years.
Source: Chicago White Sox / MLB.com
