Chicago White Sox’ Gavin Sheets (32) and Leury Garcia, center, are congratulated by teammate Zack Collins after scoring runs in the fourth inning during a baseball game against the Texas Rangers in Arlington Texas, Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021.
Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Lucas Giolito throws in the third inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers in Arlington Texas, Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021.
Chicago White Sox’ Jose Abreu hits a two-run single in the fourth inning during a baseball game against the Texas Rangers in Arlington Texas, Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021.
Chicago White Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal (24) celebrates his fourth-inning home run as he round the bases during a baseball game against the Texas Rangers in Arlington Texas, Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021.
Chicago White Sox’s Leury Garcia bunts for a single in the fourth inning during a baseball game against the Texas Rangers in Arlington Texas, Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021.
Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jordan Lyles throws in the first inning during a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021.
Texas Rangers’ Isiah Kiner-Falefa (9) steals second base in front of a tag by Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson (7) in the fifth inning during a baseball game in Arlington Texas, Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021.
Chicago White Sox’s Jose Abreu, right, slides safely into second base in front of a tag by Texas Rangers shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa, left, on a force play in the seventh inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — José Abreu matched the major league RBI lead, Yasmani Grandal homered for the second game in a row and the Chicago White Sox moved closer to their first AL Central title since 2008 with a 7-2 win over the Texas Rangers on Sunday.
Abreu’s two-run single capped a five-run fourth for the White Sox and pushed his RBI total to 113, tying Kansas City catcher Salvador Perez. Abreu is trying to join Cecil Fielder (1990-92) as the only AL players to lead the league in RBIs in three consecutive seasons.
The magic number is four for Chicago (85-64) to win the division title over second-place Cleveland. The White Sox, looking to make the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time in franchise history, on Thursday start a span of five games over four days in Cleveland.
Chicago’s big inning started when Grandal led off by lining a ball just over the wall in right-center for his 22nd homer. Cesar Herrnandez also had a two-run single in that outburst off Jordan Lyles (9-12) for a 5-0 lead.
Lucas Giolito (9-10) struck out four while allowing one run over 5 1/3 innings. It was the right-hander’s second start since missing two weeks because of a strained left hamstring.
