As series with Yankees concludes, White Sox enjoying 'most fun baseball'

The Chicago White Sox occupy first place in the American League Central as the end of July approaches, a welcome perch after the club endured three straight 100-loss seasons.

"How we've played up to this point, we've kind of earned to be where we are at," right-hander Sean Burke said. "This is the most fun baseball you could play where every game matters."

On Thursday, Burke will get the opportunity to lead the good times when he takes the mound against the New York Yankees.

Chicago can salvage a split of the four-game series with a victory after rallying for a 6-5 win in 12 innings on Wednesday night.

New York raced to a 4-0 lead in the first inning and looked dominant behind right-hander Cam Schlittler, but the White Sox chipped away at the Yankees bullpen after Schlittler departed in th seventh inning. Sam Antonacci and Munetaka Murakami hit successive home runs in the eighth inning -- Chicago's eighth set of back-to-backs this season -- to tie the game.

Edgar Quero blooped a game-ending RBI single in the 12th.

"It was an amazing game," Quero said. "Coming from behind in this game and doing what we're doing, it's amazing. This group is amazing."

Chicago maintained a 1 1/2-game lead over the Cleveland Guardians while New York fell 2 1/2 games behind first-place Tampa Bay in the AL East.

The Yankees left 10 men on base while going 3-for-16 with runners in scoring position. New York fell to 48-5 when leading after seven innings.

"This is the good part about this sport; tomorrow is another day," Yankees catcher Ali Sanchez said. "We have the chance to get the series."

Paul Goldschmidt, Spencer Jones and Jose Caballero contributed two hits each for the Yankees.

Jones helped stake the Yankees to an early edge with a three-run blast against White Sox right-hander Davis Martin.

"He homered off of Martin over at our place last time [on June 16] and got a couple of really good swings on him tonight, so it was good to see that," New York manager Aaron Boone said.

Burke (7-5, 3.19 ERA) has delivered quality starts in each of his four outings this month, pitching to a 1.40 ERA over 25 2/3 innings.

Saturday marked his first loss since June 13, as Burke spaced three runs (two earned) and four hits in six innings against Houston. He walked one and struck out 10 for his second double-digit strikeout game of July.

Burke was dominant on June 18 in a 5-1 victory at Yankee Stadium, yielding one run -- a Ryan McMahon solo shot -- and five hits in 7 1/3 innings with one walk and eight strikeouts. That was his first career outing against the Yankees.

Left-hander Ryan Weathers (4-7, 4.25) is set to start for New York. While Weathers has slumped this month, compiling a 5.03 ERA, he is coming off his first victory since June 24 in the 3-1 win.

Weathers scattered one run and six hits in 5 2/3 innings against the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday with one walk against six strikeouts.

He opposed Burke in that June 18 game and didn't figure into the decision. He gave up one run on three hits in 6 1/3 innings, striking out eight, in his only career game against the White Sox.

New York has a 4-2 record against Chicago this season.

--Field Level Media