Detroit — If the Tigers learned one thing this weekend, it’s that these Chicago White Sox aren’t beaten until there are 27 outs recorded.
After getting tagged for eight runs across five late innings on Friday night and blowing a lead in the process, and then coughing up a go-ahead run late in Saturday’s one-run affair, Detroit looked to be putting together a series-salvaging win on Sunday afternoon.
But with five unanswered runs in three innings, capped off by a two-run home run off the bat of Munetaka Murakami to put Chicago ahead, the White Sox stormed back from a three-run deficit to win, 7-5, on Sunday afternoon at Comerica Park. The win caps off a three-game sweep for Chicago on this trip to Detroit.
And with three losses in a row to Chicago, Detroit — which entered the series with a chance to take over first place in the AL Central — is now at least one game out of the wildcard spot and is 5.5 games back in the division, trailing Chicago (and the Minnesota Twins if they beat Philadelphia.)
Things started gloriously for Detroit and left fielder Brett Callahan, making his major league debut on Sunday.
PRESSURE? WHAT PRESSURE?
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) August 16, 2026
BRETT CALLAHAN 2-RUN RBI TRIPLE ON HIS FIRST @MLB PITCH!! pic.twitter.com/ujHeP6cPcm
Callahan didn’t waste a moment to make the day count, roping a two-RBI triple into the right field corner on the first pitch he saw, a knuckle curve floating through the zone.
As he clambered up from third base, dusted himself off and went to collect a batting helmet that fell off sometime during his rounding of second base, his jubilant family bobbed with frenetic energy in the juiced-up Comerica Park crowd.
BOX SCORE: White Sox 7, Tigers 5
Callahan’s debut highlighted the afternoon for Detroit, and he’d score one batter later when Max Clark singled, chopping a ball over the drawn-in infield on a bounce to reach safely and get Callahan home.
Detroit kept adding on the very next inning, as Colt Keith launched an opposite-field home run into the Tigers’ bullpen in left field. It was nearly robbed by left fielder Sam Antonacci, but the ball hit off the back of his glove as he leapt at the fence.
Chief Keith DINGER 💥 pic.twitter.com/RBgPJh7WMv
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) August 16, 2026
And that’s about when the good stopped for Detroit, which managed some threatening situations with runners in scoring position, but couldn’t break through after Keith’s homer put Detroit up, 4-1.
But for a while, it seemed it could hold up, as Chicago, which has hit the ball well all weekend, put up just one run on a handful of hits through four innings.
First, in the fifth inning, Drew Anderson, making the start for Detroit, gave up a walk to Tristan Peters followed up by a home run to catcher Drew Romo, making it a one-run lead for Detroit.
Anderson escaped some more traffic in the fifth inning and gave way to Tyler Holton in the sixth inning.
Holton gave up a leadoff double to pinch-hitting Randal Grichuk, who hammered a ball to center field over the head of Clark. He’d score quickly on a pair of ground balls to the right side of the infield, tying the game, 4-4.
And though he gave up a few more base runners, Holton escaped the sixth without any more damage. The same could not be said for the seventh inning.
After a walk to Sam Antonacci, Holton faced Munekami, the dangerous rookie who entered Sunday with 27 home runs and 55 RBI on the season. He leaves with 28 and 57 after his go-ahead two-run homer in the seventh inning, punishing Holton for a sinker that drifted middle-middle. The White Sox took a 6-4 lead and the crowd at Comerica, some 30,000-plus fans, deflated.
Detroit scratched a run back in the bottom of the frame, with doubles from Gleyber Torres and Dillon Dingler, making it 6-5.
But it was another blown lead, like Friday. And another one run loss, like Saturday. And the common denominator is a White Sox team that showed why it's sitting atop the AL Central this late in the season.
This story will be updated.
Andrew Graham is a freelance writer.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Tigers swept away as White Sox add separation in division race