
Vargas and Tauchman lead White Sox over Pirates 7-2 for 1st series sweep of season
Vargas hit a three-run shot to open the scoring against Andrew Heaney, his 11th homer of the year but first since June 15. Tauchman followed by launching a drive that carried over the right-field stands and bounced into the Allegheny River.
The White Sox became the last major league team to sweep a series this season as they sent the Pirates to their 11th loss in 12 games.
Tauchman hit a two-run double in the fifth to chase Heaney and extend the lead to 7-1.
Aaron Civale (2-6) got his first win in seven starts since being acquired from Milwaukee in a June 13 trade. He gave up one unearned run and three hits in six innings with six strikeouts.
Vargas, Tauchman, Chase Meidroth and Michael A. Taylor each had two hits for the White Sox.
Heaney (4-9) was tagged for seven runs and nine hits in four innings. The left-hander has lost six of seven decisions since May 26.
Key moment
Vargas' home run to center field put the White Sox on the path to a three-game sweep.
Key stat
Andrew McCutchen's ninth-inning double for Pittsburgh was his 2,232nd hit, tying Pirates great Willie Stargell for 180th on the MLB career list.
Thursdays
Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter.
Up next
The White Sox open a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night in Tampa, with Sean Burke (4-8, 4.36 ERA) pitching for Chicago against fellow right-hander Shane Baz (8-5, 4.17).
National League All-Star Game starter Paul Skenes (4-8, 2.01 ERA) goes for the Pirates on Monday night to begin a three-game series with visiting Detroit and Jack Flaherty (5-9, 4.65).
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Toronto Sun
40 minutes ago
- Toronto Sun
Blue Jays' pitching Biebs makes franchise debut in Triple-A Buffalo
Shane Bieber #57 of the Toronto Blue Jays looks on from the dugout ahead of play against the Kansas City Royals in their MLB game at the Rogers Centre on August 1, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Photo by Mark Blinch / Getty Images The centre of the Jays' attention Sunday afternoon was firmly on the comings and goings at Rogers Centre. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account In the backdrop was Shane Bieber's rehab outing at Sahlen Field in Buffalo where the former Cy Young Award winner and the big club's major trade deadline acquisition. Bieber has made four starts in the minors as he continues to move up the ladder following Tommy John surgery, each as a member the Cleveland Guardians. His fifth start came against the Syracuse Mets in Bieber's first with the Blue Jays. In his previous four, the right-hander pitched a combined 11.1 innings, while posting an ERA of 1.59. Given his pedigree and potential impact on the big-league club, the anticipation and interest in Bieber's Sunday start was predictably high. If all goes well in the coming weeks, it is easy to envision a Jays' rotation with Bieber as its ace. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Sunday began with Bieber recording two swinging strikeouts in succession on six consecutive strikes before Prince George's Jared Young singled into centre field. Of the 13 pitches tossed by Bieber in the first inning, 12 were strikes. In the second, Bieber issued an eight-pitch leadoff walk, a balk and single before yielding a two-out RBI single. The inning ended when Bieber picked off a runner at first base in a 17-pitch frame that clearly was not as effective as the first inning. In the third, Bieber gave up a two-run homer with two outs, the second longball he has surrendered in Bieber's past two starts. Bieber had a three-up, three-down fourth inning, his first 1-2-3 inning on the afternoon. He worked around a leadoff single in the fifth to record three outs in a row, the first on a strikeout. And that was it for Bieber, who went 5.0 innings, would give up five hits, while striking out six. Of Bieber's 62 pitches, 47 were strikes. For a Blue Jays management group known to be risk averse, at least among fans, Bieber's acquisition was viewed as a huge departure. Bieber is earning US $10 million this season and has a $16 million player option for next year. In theory, the Jays may have him for a short time. Big picture, they may have found a critical pitching piece if Bieber enjoys the baseball environment the Jays have created and if the team goes deep into the playoffs. — Zicarelli Toronto Blue Jays Columnists Sex Files Homes Columnists


Winnipeg Free Press
2 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Play ball, take 2: The MLB Speedway Classic resumes at Bristol after rain suspension
BRISTOL, Tenn. (AP) — A record crowd for a regular-season Major League Baseball game got to see all the pomp and pageantry with the MLB Speedway Classic before the rain washed out the game itself in the bottom of the first inning. Fans returning Sunday only wanted to watch the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds play ball. They enjoyed enough of star Tim McGraw and Pitbull in the rain that suspended the first MLB regular-season game in the state of Tennessee. 'We got to see all of that (Saturday), so as long as we see game today I think we'll be good,' Cindy Lowe of Mount Airy, North Carolina, said. Craig Morton agreed. He and his family, with three children, were ready to see baseball even if Morton is the Reds' fan surrounded by relatives rooting for the Braves. They had a good time seeing McGraw and country singer Jake Owen. Sunday was dry at Bristol Motor Speedway even with overcast skies. 'We're really glad that they played the game today instead of last night because we sat here a couple hours in the rain and everybody was saturated even with rain gear,' Morton said. 'The kids are happy so we're happy.' This MLB Speedway Classic was first announced nearly a year ago as part of Commissioner Rob Manfred's push to take MLB to places where baseball isn't played every day live. MLB played a game at the 'Field of Dreams' movie site in Iowa in both 2021 and 2022. Alabama and North Carolina, too. MLB didn't try to sell every ticket inside the speedway that drew 156,990 for the Battle of Bristol college football game in 2016. The track with a racing capacity of 146,000 meant the final attendance number could reach 90,000 or more even with sections blocked off. The previous paid attendance of 84,587 was set Sept. 12, 1954, when Cleveland Stadium hosted the New York Yankees. Simply canceling this game wasn't an option. The Reds are in the chase for a wild-card spot, and this is the last time these teams meet this season. Teams had police escorts to make sure they got back to Bristol on Sunday. For fans, the commute back to Bristol Motor Speedway, billed as 'The Last Great Colosseum' with its history as a half-mile bullring of a racetrack, was easier for some than others. Steven Long of Atlanta, Georgia, was on a party bus to his hotel in Knoxville with a bunch of distributors. He drove the 110 miles back to Bristol on Sunday by himself even though he had hoped to be driving home. He couldn't miss the first MLB game at a racetrack. 'I had to come back,' said Long, who wore his Braves jersey hoping for a win. MLB will be announcing an attendance figure later Sunday. Officials already knew this event would draw a record crowd with 85,000 tickets sold as of Monday. The big question Sunday was how many people would return for baseball itself after the big party that MLB and Bristol threw for fans Saturday. For Lowe and Jason Lawson, this is a moment they couldn't miss after buying tickets in May. 'The history, the nostalgia of Bristol Motor Speedway combined with Major League Baseball all in one I think,' Lowe said. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Long was being joined by a couple of friends. He saw one benefit of returning even if others chose not to. 'We'll have more space around us, so we won't be on top of each other,' Long said. Indeed. Fans had plenty of room to spread out, dance and enjoy the capping event of the MLB Speedway Classic. ___ AP MLB: and AP auto racing:


Canada News.Net
8 hours ago
- Canada News.Net
New-look Twins seek to halt skid in finale vs. Guardians
(Photo credit: David Richard-Imagn Images) The Minnesota Twins essentially wiped the slate clean before their series at the Cleveland Guardians, trading almost 40 percent of their roster. Two games and two losses into the new era, they remain undaunted by the challenge. Minnesota right-hander Jose Urena (0-0, 5.40 ERA) will take the mound Sunday afternoon in the finale against Cleveland left-hander Joey Cantillo (2-1, 4.14). 'Some of us now get a second chance with this,' Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers said. 'I don't think we're going to go out there and play terrible baseball. Even last year, the (Detroit) Tigers sold some guys off and got hot and snuck into the playoffs. Anything can happen.' The Guardians took the first game 3-2 on a Kyle Manzardo walk-off RBI single in the 10th inning, then won the second 5-4 after Bo Naylor doubled in Jose Ramirez in the eighth. After dealing all five of their late-inning relief specialists, the Twins were forced to throw Kody Funderburk and Pierson Ohl into the fire -- and paid for it as they both suffered losses. 'I liked a lot of what I saw, but at some point, you've got to find a way to score another run,' Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli said. Urena's recall from Triple-A St. Paul epitomizes what the Twins are going through. The 33-year-old already has pitched for the New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers this season and was available on short notice to travel to Cleveland. Right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson originally was slated to start on Sunday, but Minnesota's massive series of transactions prompted Baldelli to juggle his rotation. Urena is 0-1 with a 3.95 ERA in 13 2/3 innings over three career starts against Cleveland. 'It's a part of baseball, just the business side,' Twins All-Star outfielder Byron Buxton said. 'We'll be better once we get on the other side of it, but I ain't going nowhere.' The Guardians aren't going away, either -- in terms of the postseason race. They have won 16 of their last 22 contests, pulling within two games of the Seattle Mariners for the final American League wild-card spot. Despite the loss of closer Emmanuel Clase to an MLB-imposed administrative leave and former AL Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber in a trade to the Toronto Blue Jays, Ramirez is making sure his teammates keep their eyes focused on the prize. '(Ramirez), man, I'm running out of things to say about him,' Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said. 'He knows when we need homers and singles, and he just needs to get on base to make things happen. I don't take it for granted that we get to watch baseball from him every single day.' Ramirez delivered the tying, two-run homer before scoring the go-ahead run on Saturday, which also was Jose Ramirez Jersey Day at the ballpark. The perennial All-Star third baseman is batting .312 with nine homers and 21 RBIs and 27 runs scored in his last 25 games. 'It makes me happy to see all the fans in my jerseys,' Ramirez said through an interpreter. 'But I get the love from them every day, not just today.' Cantillo will take on the Twins for the fifth time in his two seasons, owning a 0-1 record and 2.77 ERA in 13 innings with two starts and two relief appearances. He is 1-1 with a 4.57 ERA in five starts since being recalled from Triple-A Columbus on July 3.