SEO Title: Guardians Take AL Central Lead as White Sox Slip in Cleveland
SEO Description: Cleveland moved a half-game ahead of Chicago in the AL Central after Petey Halpin’s sixth-inning homer lifted the Guardians to a 6-3 win.
Petey Halpin turned a tight September afternoon at Progressive Field with one swing, and by the time the dust settled, the American League Central had a new club in front. His three-run homer in the sixth sent Cleveland past the White Sox, 6-3, Wednesday and pushed the Guardians into first place for the first time in the series.
Cleveland, now 78-75, claimed the final two games of the three-game set and moved a half-game ahead of Chicago, which fell to 77-75. The White Sox had held the division lead continuously since July 3, but they now head onward holding the final AL Wild Card berth, 1 1/2 games ahead of the Rangers.
Halpin answers Chicago’s fifth-inning push
Chicago appeared to have grabbed the game when Tommy Pham, activated before the contest after missing time since Sept. 3 with a strained left calf, drove a three-run homer in the fifth inning. With two outs, Pham sent All-Star left-hander Parker Messick’s pitch 412 feet into the left-center bleachers, bringing home Chase Meidroth and Randal Grichuk for a 3-2 White Sox lead.
Messick regrouped well enough to work six innings, striking out eight and earning his 12th win against nine losses. Cleveland had scored first in the third, though the inning began with a costly oddity from Meidroth at second base. On Steven Kwan’s potential double-play ball, Meidroth tried to tag Halpin, but the ball came loose from his glove. Both runners were safe, and Jo Adell followed two batters later with a two-out liner over shortstop Luisangel Acuña that scored Halpin and Kwan.
Those two Cleveland runs were unearned, but the sixth inning left no room for debate. White Sox starter Anthony Kay had departed, and Hagen Smith was asked to protect the one-run lead. Smith walked David Fry and Austin Hedges before recording two outs, then departed for Sean Newcomb.
Newcomb never recorded an out. Halpin greeted him by driving a projected 393-foot homer to right field, bringing Fry and Hedges across and putting Cleveland back ahead, 5-3. José Ramírez added insurance later with an RBI double.
Newcomb took the loss, dropping to 2-4 after allowing two runs on two hits and two walks. Cade Smith closed the Cleveland win for his 37th save in 42 chances.
Montgomery leaves with wrist bruise
The White Sox also lost third baseman Colson Montgomery during the game. Montgomery was hit on the left wrist by a Messick pitch in the fourth and exited an inning later. X-rays at the ballpark showed no fracture, and he is listed as day-to-day.
Munetaka Murakami replaced him and is expected to return to the starting lineup Thursday against Detroit, manager Will Venable said. Murakami has been mired in a difficult stretch, batting .100 with 50 strikeouts over his past 26 games.
For Chicago, the larger bruise came in the standings. Pham’s return supplied a welcome jolt, but Halpin’s sixth-inning blow gave Cleveland the series, the day, and the division lead heading into the season’s final stretch.
