The Chicago White Sox extended their lead in the AL Central by edging past the New York Yankees 6-5 in a 12-inning thriller at U.S. Cellular Field. Edgar Quero provided the winning margin, driving in Tristan Peters with a single in the bottom of the 12th. Jordan Hicks of the Yankees loaded the bases in the top of the 12th, but Quero's clutch hit secured the win.
Chicago's improbable comeback began in the eighth inning when Sam Antonacci and Munetaka Murakami hit back-to-back homers to tie the game. New York had taken a 4-1 lead after a four-run first inning, highlighted by Spencer Jones’ third home run of the season. Murakami's home run was his 23rd of the season, tying the score, and Antonacci's was his eighth of the year.
Anthony Volpe gave the Yankees a late lead in the 11th with a pinch-hit sacrifice fly, but Murakami advanced to third on a wild pitch and eventually scored on a botched pickoff attempt by catcher Ali Sanchez. The Yankees' lead in the 11th came after Quero said he wanted to be in high-pressure situations, stating, "I love to be in those situations. It's part of my game. I'm that guy. I want to be in that situation all the time."
Spencer Jones, who drove in three runs early, helped New York build their lead, while starter Cam Schlittler kept Chicago in check until the seventh. The White Sox countered with a pair of late blasts to force extra innings. Chicago’s Davis Martin allowed four runs and six hits over six innings, with six strikeouts, while Schlittler pitched 6 1/3 innings, allowing only two hits and a walk while striking out eight.
The White Sox had to overcome a rough start by Martin, who allowed four runs in the first inning. Martin settled in after that and threw a career-high 106 pitches. Schlittler, the Yankees' starter, retired the first 11 batters and allowed only one run on two hits through 6 1/3 innings. Quero added a quote after his game-winning hit: "I've been (in a) tough situation this year for me. Starting the season a little slow, coming up in that situation is pretty good for me. It feels amazing."
The White Sox will look to sweep the series on Thursday, with Ryan Weathers of the Yankees set to face Chicago’s Sean Burke in what promises to be a decisive finish to the four-game set. The win maintained Chicago's 1 1/2 game lead in the American League Central over Cleveland, who defeated the Cincinnati Reds 6-1.