Storms were closing in, but the never-say-die White Sox weren’t backing down.
Miguel Vargas made sure of it, leading Chicago to a 3-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers in front of 30,631 fans at Rate Field.
One night after watching an eight-run lead disappear in an 11-8 loss, the Sox (79-76) refused to let another collapse define their season. Vargas helped make sure there would be no repeat, leading the South Siders to a win in the third game of a four-game set against the Tigers.
“This is what this team is about,” Vargas told CHSN after the game. “We play nine innings every day. To see the stadium with 30,000 people coming out for us, helping us to get right, that meant a lot to us. We just want to win the game. I just want to help my team and I want to go to the playoffs.”
To get there, the Sox are going to need more afternoons like this from Vargas.
After walking in the first inning, Vargas stole second and scored on Munetaka Murakami’s bloop single to give the Sox an early 1-0 lead. He added an insurance home run in the sixth to extend Chicago’s lead to 3-1.
“Vargas is the best player on this team,” Ozzie Guillen said on CHSN Postgame. “There’s nobody better than him right now on this ballclub.”
And if that weren’t enough, Vargas made White Sox history. He became the first player in franchise history to record 30 home runs, 30 doubles, 20 stolen bases and 100 runs in a season.
With a depleted bullpen, the Sox needed someone to stand tall on the mound. Sean Burke answered the call. Burke (10-7) became the first Sox starter to complete six innings since Aug. 21, holding the Tigers to one run on five hits while striking out five.
“He’s a dog,” Vargas said. “He’s been doing that the whole year.”
Burke’s afternoon, however, nearly took a dramatic turn in the sixth. With the bases loaded, a pitch to Brett Callahan got away and initially appeared to allow Riley Greene to score from third. Catcher Kyle Teel challenged the ruling, and replay showed Callahan had swung at the pitch. Greene was sent back to third, and Burke struck out Callahan two pitches later to escape the jam.
“(Zach) Bove said we’re just going to come out and throw fastballs and curveballs the rest of the way out,” Burke said. “That was good, especially coming after a game like last night. It kind of relies on the starting pitcher to set the tone and I knew that coming in. I was happy to get through six.”
Making his first relief appearance at home, Noah Schultz followed Burke and earned his first hold of the season before Grant Taylor closed it out for his 10th save.
“Everybody is putting the individual stuff aside,” Burke said. “No matter how you get the job done. It can look ugly and get kind of grindy. It doesn’t matter.”
Box Score
HITTING
PITCHING
Game Notes
- The White Sox have won 10 of their last 15 games against the Tigers dating to Sept. 5, 2025.
- The Sox earned their 30th win against the American League Central (30-18), their first season with at least 30 division wins since 2022 (37-39).
- The Sox own the second-best home record in the American League at 45-32.
- Burke became the first White Sox pitcher to record a quality start since Aug. 21 against the New York Mets, when Burke also accomplished the feat.
- Taylor became the second White Sox pitcher to record at least 10 saves this season, joining Seranthony Domínguez (12). They are the first Sox teammates to accomplish the feat since Tom Gordon (12), Billy Koch (11) and Damaso Marte (11) in 2003.
Vargas Makes History
- Vargas joined Luis Robert Jr. (2023) and Magglio Ordóñez (2001) as the only White Sox players to record 30 doubles, 30 home runs and 20 stolen bases in a season.
- Vargas became the first White Sox player to score at least 100 runs in a season since Jim Thome (108) and Jermaine Dye (103) in 2006. He is the first primary third baseman for the Sox to accomplish the feat since Harry Lord scored 103 runs in 1911.
- Vargas became the fourth primary White Sox third baseman to hit at least 33 home runs in a season, joining Todd Frazier (40 in 2016), Robin Ventura (34 in 1996) and Bill Melton (33 in 1970 and 1971).
- Vargas is batting .286/.366/.571 with three home runs, nine RBIs, six runs scored and a .937 OPS over his last nine games dating to Sept. 11.
Next Game
The White Sox close the four-game series against Detroit with a 1:10 p.m. start at Rate Field. Troy Melton (8-4, 2.52 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Tigers against Chicago’s Davis Martin (9-7, 3.96 ERA). The Sox have an off day before heading to Kansas City for a three-game series at Kauffman Stadium. Tomorrow is also a Family Sunday affair and Oktoberfest. The special event includes with the discounted ticket, a limited, co-branded, White Sox/Oktoberfest jersey.
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Featured Image: White Sox / X
