Sean Burke and Miguel Vargas help the White Sox beat the Tigers 3-1

CHICAGO (AP) — 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-center 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.

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Detroit Tigers' Ben Malgeri (53) slides safely into home plate on a Kevin McGonigle sacrifice fly as Chicago White Sox catcher Kyle Teel, left, waits for the throw during the fifth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Chicago White Sox's Munetaka Murakami watches his RBI single during the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Detroit Tigers starter Jackson Jobe delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Chicago White Sox's Miguel Vargas celebrates with teammates in the dugout after scoring on a Munetaka Murakami single during the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Chicago White Sox starter Sean Burke delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Richie Palacios dropped a fly ball into shallow right in the ninth inning to score Junior Caminero and give the Tampa Bay Rays a 2-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday.

Tampa Bay, which has three walk-off wins on its current homestand, lowered its magic number to clinch the AL East to five games. The second-place Yankees are in Arizona on Saturday night.

Prior to Palacios' single, the Rays were 0 for 17 with runners in scoring position over the first two games of the series. The postseason-bound Rays, who’ve won seven of their last eight, capitalized on two fortuitous bounces in the ninth.

First, Caminero’s foul popup bounced off the Tropicana Field catwalk and out of the reach of third baseman Caleb Durbin. Caminero then lined the next pitch from Garrett Whitlock (7-2) into left. Three batters later, after Chandler Simpson singled, Connor Wong's passed ball moved Caminero to third.

The Red Sox squandered a prime opportunity in the top of the ninth.

Facing closer Bryan Baker (4-2) in a tie game, Boston got Caleb Durbin's double and Jarren Duran's triple. However, Nick Fortes threw out Durbin stealing third and Caminero made a stellar play at third base to retire Isiah Kiner-Falefa, stranding Duran.

Boston also wasted a phenomenal effort from starter Brayan Bello, who matched a career high with 11 strikeouts. In eight innings, he allowed five hits, one run and no walks. Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman (lat tightness) was unavailable.

The Red Sox took a 1-0 lead with bookend doubles from Durbin and Roman Anthony in the third inning. Trevor Story extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a sixth-inning single.

Jonathan Aranda tied it with an opposite-field solo homer on the first pitch of the Rays’ fourth.

The Rays are an MLB-best 25-14 in one-run games.

RHP Griffin Jax (7-10, 3.80 ERA) gets the nod for the Rays on Sunday in the series finale. Boston had not announced a starter.

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Tampa Bay Rays' Richie Palacios, left, celebrates his walkoff single off Boston Red Sox pitcher Garrett Whitlock with Nick Fortes during a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Rays' Richie Palacios celebrates his walkoff single off Boston Red Sox pitcher Garrett Whitlock during the ninth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Rays' Junior Caminero, right, celebrates after his single off Boston Red Sox pitcher Garrett Whitlock during the ninth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Rays' Chandler Simpson celebrates after his single off Boston Red Sox pitcher Garrett Whitlock during the ninth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Rays' Richie Palacios, front, gets doused by Taylor Walls after Palacios hit a walk off single off Boston Red Sox pitcher Garrett Whitlock during the ninth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)