White Sox Power Their Way To First Division Title Since 2008

CHICAGO — From the moment White Sox general manager Rick Hahn declared the team’s multi-year rebuilding process over, winning now became the priority.

Last year’s pandemic-shortened season and subsequent playoff berth represented a step in the right direction. But any hopes of a lengthy playoff stay were dashed when the Sox were knocked out of the playoffs by the Oakland Athletics in three games.

But on Thursday, the Sox accomplished what hadn’t been done on Chicago’s South Side since 2008 when they clinched the American League Central Division title with a 7-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians in the first game of a doubleheader.

The win, coupled with the Indians’ loss, took the Sox Magic Number from 2 to 0 and checked one goal off the Sox’ to-do list as Tony La Russa’s team can officially begin prepare for what they hope will be a longer postseason stay than in 2020.

The Sox, who will finish the regular season at home against Cincinnati and Detroit, realize that the real work now begins. But not before they celebrated the long-awaited division crown that arrived on Thursday after the Sox failed to get the job done earlier this week in Detroit.

"I'm just glad we took care of business," All-Star shortstop Tim Anderson said in a postgame Zoom call with reporters, wearing a Central Division championship T-shirt. "...(We talk about) keeping the same momentum all the way through. We still have to finish the season and so we're just going to try to stay in the same mode all the way through and hopefully once the playoff starts, we keep that same momentum and keep pushing.

"We all understand that this is just the start. We're going to celebrate this, put it behind us and keep on moving and keep pushing. Hopefully, we can do something special."

The Sox used a six-run second inning on Thursday to build a commanding lead. Luis Robert, Eloy Jimenez and Anderson all homered in the inning. Anderson’s three-run blast was his second after he connected on a solo shot in the first inning to give the Sox an early lead.

Afterward, La Russa called Anderson "The Ignitor."

Closer Liam Hendricks closed out the victory in the seventh inning and struck out Cleveland’s Myles Straw to put the finishing touches on the victory. A small army of Sox fans made the trip to Cleveland to witness the division-clinching victory, which didn't have to wait until Thursday evening's doubleheader nightcap.

As chants of "Let's Go White Sox" rolled through Cleveland's home ballpark, the momentum built until Hendricks recorded the final out.

"To win the first game and not have to delay it and come out like we did swinging the bat, a lot of good defense ....I just appreciated the fact they were so ready to play," La Russa said. "The offense was ready to play, the defense was ready to play the whole game. We did it the first chance we had to get there."

But La Russa's players understand their work is far from over.