Jonathan Schoop hit a go-ahead RBI single in a three-run eighth inning and Harold Castro had three hits as the visiting Detroit Tigers topped the skidding Chicago White Sox 4-1 on Sunday afternoon.
The White Sox’s loss allowed the Cleveland Guardians to clinch their first American League Central title since 2018.
The White Sox fell to 76-77 after losing their sixth straight game, while falling for the seventh time in nine games.
Detroit (60-92) secured its fourth series sweep of the season and first since taking four games from Cleveland from July 4-6.
A late rally against the White Sox bullpen boosted the Tigers, who had an 11-6 advantage in hits.
Chicago opened the scoring on Yoan Moncada’s solo home run on the first pitch of the fourth inning. Moncada has hit five of his 12 home runs in September.
Tigers center fielder Riley Greene robbed Andrew Vaughn of a would-be two-run homer later in the inning. Greene ranged well to his right, then leapt to prevent Vaughn’s blast against Tyler Alexander from going over the wall.
The Tigers tied the game on Victor Reyes’ RBI double in the seventh against reliever Reynaldo Lopez. Detroit took the lead in the eighth against Kendall Graveman. Jeimer Candelario followed Schoop’s RBI single with a run-scoring single of his own.
Detroit went ahead 4-1 in the seventh on a Graveman wild pitch that scored Schoop, who had two hits. Graveman (3-4) allowed three runs and four hits in two-thirds of an inning.
Andrew Chafin (2-3) was the winner, navigating two walks in a scoreless inning of relief. Gregory Soto worked around a ninth-inning single to earn his 28th save.
Both starters had no-decisions. Alexander allowed one run and four hits in six innings with one walk and five strikeouts. Chicago’s Dylan Cease pitched six scoreless innings of four-hit ball with three walks and five strikeouts.
AJ Pollock had a pair of hits for Chicago, the lone team in the majors with a losing record at home and winning mark on the road.
The White Sox took the season series from the Tigers 12-7.
–Field Level Media
