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White Sox at Tigers: A punch in the mouth… then two haymakers back

Three games in Detroit, and the White Sox left Comerica Park looking exactly like a team that expects to matter in the AL Central race: they absorbed the early gut-shot in the opener, then spent the next two nights turning the series into a statement. Chicago takes two of three and walks out at 27–22, while Detroit slides to 24–26.

And the way it happened? It felt like a flip of the switch — from “long night” to “don’t blink.”

Game 1 (Mon, May 25): Tigers 9, White Sox 2

The opener went sideways fast, and it stayed there.

Detroit jumped Chicago immediately, turning the bottom of the first into a highlight reel from their side. A defensive mistake cracked the door, and the Tigers kicked it off the hinges — the inning ended with Odúbel Herrera unloading a grand slam that made it 5–0 before the White Sox could get settled.

Chicago finally scratched back in the fourth on a Bryan Ramos RBI single, and Colson Montgomery kept swinging by ripping an RBI triple later, but there wasn’t enough oxygen in the game to build real momentum. Detroit added more thunder — including a Kerry Carpenter three-run homer — and the night turned into survival mode.

Takeaway: A rough one, but it mattered what came next.

Game 2 (Tue, May 26): White Sox 11, Tigers 2

Chicago didn’t respond — it pounced.

The White Sox started this one like they were still mad about Monday:

Colson Montgomery led off the scoring with a first-inning solo homer.

Bryan Ramos answered right behind him with another first-inning bomb.

And by the time Ramos launched his second homer of the night (a monster shot in the third), Detroit was already chasing shadows.

The pitching plan worked, too. Victor Mendez kept the game under control early, and then the bullpen — including Ky Bush in a key bridge role — kept the Tigers boxed in.

And then came the moment that turned it from “win” into “message”: a six-run ninth inning that basically felt like Chicago putting the receipt on the table and walking away.

Also worth noting: Detroit took a double hit in-game, with Hao-Yu Lee and Parker Meadows both leaving after getting injured on the bases.

Takeaway: Power early, pressure late, and Chicago’s depth showed up in a big way.

Game 3 (Wed, May 27): White Sox 11, Tigers 2

If Tuesday was loud, Wednesday was clinical.

Mike Vasil gave Chicago the kind of start that makes a series win feel inevitable: six scoreless innings, steady traffic management, and a Tigers lineup that never got comfortable.

Then the offense did what it’s been doing in this series’ final two games: pile on in waves.

Chicago broke through with a two-run fourth, helped along by a big Eguy Rosario swing.

Then Rosario delivered the knockout: a grand slam that turned the game into a runway.

Later, Tirso Ornelas tagged a two-run homer to keep the foot down.

Detroit did avoid the shutout with a late two-run shot, but the game had been decided long before that.

Takeaway: Vasil looked like a guy who belongs, and the lineup punished every crack.

Series storyline: The Sox won the last two games by a combined 22–4

That’s the headline. One ugly opener, then two straight games where Chicago’s young core played like the future is already here.

Names that defined the series:

Bryan Ramos: loud power, constant presence, and the kind of “I’m taking over” stretch you remember in May.

Colson Montgomery: set the tone with pop and didn’t let up.

Eguy Rosario: the grand slam in the finale was the dagger.

Mike Vasil: steadied the whole thing with a start that screamed “trust me with October-type games.”

Standings check: Chicago stays right in the fight

After the series, the White Sox sit 27–22, 2nd in the AL Central, 1.5 games behind Minnesota, while Detroit is 5 games back. Chicago’s also sitting firmly in the wild card picture, and the vibe right now is: this team isn’t just hanging around — it’s throwing elbows.

News/transactions that change the tone

The celebration comes with a real punch of bad news:

RF Miguel Vargas hit the 15-day IL with a strained MCL and is expected to miss 5–6 weeks.

2B Chase Meidroth was recalled from AAA Charlotte to help cover the innings.

And in the organization pipeline, there’s real momentum:

Top prospect Braden Montgomery grabbed Southern League Player of the Week, then earned a promotion to AAA Charlotte.

Top prospect Mike Small moved up to AA Birmingham.

Ky Bush was recalled and immediately factored into a win.