White Sox increase AL wild-card lead with win over Tigers

CHICAGO — Sean Burke pitched six effective innings, Miguel Vargas homered and the Chicago White Sox topped the Detroit Tigers 3-1 on Saturday for a sorely needed victory.

Chicago dropped into second in the AL Central after it blew a six-run lead in an 11-8 loss to Detroit on Friday night. Heading into Saturday’s action, the White Sox were one game behind Cleveland in the division and third in the wild-card standings, one game better than Texas.

The White Sox (79-76) dropped at least 101 games in each of the last three years. They could become the first big league team to make the playoffs after finishing with at least 100 losses in each of the previous two seasons.

Burke (10-7) allowed one run and five hits in his second straight win. Grant Taylor got four outs for his 10th save.

Detroit (73-82) left 11 runners on base in its third loss in four games. Jackson Jobe (2-3) struck out nine while surrendering three runs in six innings.

Trailing 2-1, the Tigers loaded the bases with two down in the sixth. Riley Greene scampered home on a wild pitch to Brett Callahan but video review determined the ball hit Callahan after he swung and missed, and Greene was sent back to third.

Callahan then struck out looking, ending the inning, and Vargas led off the bottom half with a 390-foot drive to left-center for his 33rd homer.

Taylor replaced Noah Schultz with two on in the eighth. The right-hander retired pinch-hitter Eduardo Valencia on a bouncer to first, ending the inning.

The start time was moved to the afternoon because of thunderstorms forecasted for Saturday night.

Chicago played without outfielder Tristan Peters, who was sore a day after crashing into the wall in right-centre while trying to make a play on Kevin McGonigle’s triple in the fifth inning.

Troy Melton (8-4, 2.52 ERA) starts for Detroit on Sunday, and fellow right-hander Davis Martin (9-7, 3.96 ERA) pitches for Chicago in the finale of the four-game series.