The Breakdown · Comeback Win · 2026-09-18

Tigers Erase Six-Run Hole, Stun White Sox 11-8 on Road

DET def. CWS · September 18, 2026 · Final: Tigers 11, Sox 8

Detroit's night in Chicago looked grim almost from the first pitch. The White Sox sent the Tigers to the dugout trailing 6-1 after a first inning that included Colson Montgomery's three-run double and Miguel Vargas's run-scoring double. By the bottom of the third, Vargas added a two-run home run to push Chicago to 8-2, and Detroit's win probability had sunk to 3.2 percent heading into the fourth.

The Tigers began chipping away in the top of the third, when shortstop Kevin McGonigle singled on a line drive to left, scoring Eduardo Valencia to make it 6-2.

The bigger swing came in the top of the fifth. McGonigle — again the catalyst — tripled to center, a sharp fly ball that cleared the bases and scored Max Clark, Valencia, and third baseman Hao-Yu Lee to pull Detroit within 8-5.

Lee kept the Tigers moving in the top of the sixth, doubling to center to score Clark and cut it to 8-6.

Then came the eighth. Still trailing by two, Detroit third baseman Hao-Yu Lee drove a two-run home run to right field, scoring Valencia and tying the game at 8-8. One batter later, designated hitter Dillon Dingler lined a single to right, scoring McGonigle to put Detroit ahead 9-8 — the lead change that would hold.

Riley Greene, Detroit's left fielder, made sure of it. Greene launched a two-run home run to right center, scoring Dingler and extending the lead to 11-8.

Detroit Tigers 11, Chicago White Sox 8.

The Comeback

Largest deficit
6 runs — in the bottom of the 3rd
Win-probability nadir
3.2% (down 6 in the top of the 4th)
Lead flipped for good
top of the 8th
Lead changes
2
Final
DET 11, CWS 8 — won by 3

Scoring Summary

Inn.PlayScore
T1 Riley Greene strikes out swinging. 1-0
B1 Kyle Teel hit by pitch. 1-1
B1 Brenton Doyle reaches on a fielding error by third baseman Hao-Yu Lee. Munetaka Murakami scores. Chase Meidroth to 3rd. Kyle Teel to 2nd. 1-2
B1 Colson Montgomery doubles (24) on a line drive to right fielder Zach McKinstry. Chase Meidroth scores. Kyle Teel scores. Brenton Doyle scores. 1-5
B1 Miguel Vargas doubles (31) on a sharp line drive to left fielder Riley Greene. Colson Montgomery scores. Tristan Peters out at home on the throw, left fielder Riley Greene to shortstop Kevin McGonigle to catcher Eduardo Valencia. 1-6
T3 Kevin McGonigle singles on a line drive to left fielder Randal Grichuk. Eduardo Valencia scores. 2-6
B3 Miguel Vargas homers (32) on a fly ball to left field. Brenton Doyle scores. 2-8
T5 Kevin McGonigle triples (5) on a sharp fly ball to center fielder Brenton Doyle. Max Clark scores. Eduardo Valencia scores. Hao-Yu Lee scores. 5-8
T6 Hao-Yu Lee doubles (16) on a sharp line drive to center fielder Brenton Doyle. Max Clark scores. 6-8
T8 Hao-Yu Lee homers (10) on a fly ball to right field. Eduardo Valencia scores. 8-8
T8 Dillon Dingler singles on a line drive to right fielder Braden Montgomery. Kevin McGonigle scores. 9-8
T8 Riley Greene homers (21) on a fly ball to right center field. Dillon Dingler scores. 11-8

Box score

Final 11–8 ▸

Line score

  123456789 R H E
DET 101031050 11 16 2
CWS 602000000 8 7 0

DETWinning team

Batting

BatterABRHRBIBBSOAVG
Kevin McGonigle3B 512 410 .277
Dillon DinglerDH 311 102 .242
Riley GreeneLF 411 212 .283
Spencer Torkelson1B 402 011 .229
Javier BáezRF 201 001 .237
Max ClarkCF 421 010 .277
Eduardo ValenciaC 432 001 .327
Hao-Yu Lee2B 524 300 .264
Gleyber Torres2B 401 010 .265
Colt KeithDH 211 001 .260
Zach McKinstryRF 200 002 .202
Ben MalgeriRF 100 000 .235

Pitching

PitcherIPHRERBBSONP
Andrew Sears 0.216 03037
Beau Brieske 2.152 20449
Brant Hurter 1.210 01021
Tyler Kinley 1.100 00017
Drew Sommers 2.000 00522
Kenley Jansen 1.000 00110

CWSLosing team

Batting

BatterABRHRBIBBSOAVG
Miguel Vargas3B 512 301 .249
Sam AntonacciDH 200 000 .269
Randal GrichukLF 501 000 .285
Munetaka Murakami1B 410 012 .203
Chase Meidroth2B 310 011 .269
Kyle TeelC 310 001 .189
Brenton DoyleCF 421 001 .226
Colson MontgomerySS 412 302 .206
Braden MontgomeryRF 200 001 .207
Tommy PhamDH 211 010 .091
Tristan PetersRF 100 011 .272

Pitching

PitcherIPHRERBBSONP
David Sandlin 4.075 51474
Hagen Smith 1.000 01320
Chris Murphy 1.021 10119
Jordan Hicks 0.200 02123
Sean Newcomb 0.223 31024
Bryan Hudson 0.142 20014
Trevor Richards 1.110 00119