The Chicago White Sox handed the Cleveland Guardians a 7-3 defeat on Monday, September 14, 2026, in a division road game that wasn't as close as the final score suggests. Sean Burke dealt five shutout innings to earn the win, Miguel Vargas supplied the big blow with a home run and two RBI, and Andrew Benintendi kept the offense humming with a three-hit night. The Sox won by four runs and did it against a division rival, making this a statement night in the AL Central standings.

White Sox Win 7-3 Over Guardians in Division Road Game

Sean Burke Shuts Down Cleveland for Five Innings

Burke was the story on the mound. Working five full innings, he surrendered just four hits and two walks while striking out four, never allowing a run to cross the plate. That kind of performance gives a bullpen breathing room, and the White Sox needed exactly that after the game opened with Sean Newcomb handling just a single inning. Burke picked up the win — and earned it.

After Burke exited, Hagen Smith was dominant out of the bullpen, spinning two scoreless innings with three strikeouts and just one hit allowed. Trevor Richards closed it out with a clean ninth. Chicago's pitching staff combined to allow three runs total, all coming after the outcome was largely decided.

Vargas Homers, Benintendi Goes 3-for-5

Offensively, this was a balanced effort with two players doing the heavy lifting. Vargas went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI — the kind of night that changes the shape of a game. His shot gave the Sox extra cushion and quieted whatever momentum Cleveland might have been building.

Benintendi was the other catalyst. Going 3-for-5 with an RBI, he was a consistent presence in the lineup all night, putting the ball in play and making Cleveland's pitchers work. Three hits in a road divisional game is exactly what a lineup needs from a player in that spot.

Cleveland's Gavin Williams Takes the Loss

Guardians starter Gavin Williams was credited with the loss after giving up five innings of work. He allowed four hits and walked three while striking out seven — the strikeout total was impressive, but the three walks and one earned run were enough to put Cleveland behind. The Guardians' bullpen struggled to hold things together once Williams exited, with Tim Herrin allowing three earned runs in just two-thirds of an inning. Daniel Espino added another earned run in a third of an inning of work. David Fry provided the lone bright spot for Cleveland, going 1-for-2 with a home run and two RBI.

Turning Point: Chicago's Offense Breaks Through the Bullpen

The turning point came when Cleveland turned to its relief corps. Herrin's outing — three hits and three earned runs in 0.2 innings — opened the door for Chicago to extend what had been a manageable lead into a comfortable one. Once Slade Cecconi came in and struck out four in 2.1 scoreless innings for Cleveland, the damage was already done. The White Sox had piled up enough runs that the final three innings were a formality.

What's Next for the White Sox

The Sox remain on the road and will look to build on this division win. A four-run margin against a division opponent on the road is a result worth building on heading into the final weeks of the 2026 regular season. Chicago's pitching combination of a dependable starter and a sharp bullpen — at least on this night — is a formula they'll want to replicate.

  • Sean Burke: W, 5.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
  • Miguel Vargas: 2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI
  • Andrew Benintendi: 3-for-5, RBI
  • Hagen Smith: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 3 K
  • Gavin Williams (L): 5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 7 K
  • Tim Herrin: 0.2 IP, 3 H, 3 ER