Andrew Vaughn's summary of the Chicago White Sox's third straight victory sounded simple amid high drama surrounding the team
"We played good baseball tonight," the Chicago first baseman said Monday. "It was fun to be a part of.
Chicago will aim for a series victory against the visiting New York Yankees on Tuesday night as players and executives defend the clubhouse culture after various reports about dysfunction in the organization
Long out of American League postseason contention, the White Sox have won three straight for the first time since a five-game tear from June 2-8
The Yankees, meanwhile, have lost three of their past four games. Monday's 5-1 loss to Chicago in the opener of a nine-game trip put New York 5 1/2 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays for the final AL wild-card spot
"It's doable," Yankees right-hander Gerrit Cole said. "Mountains are different sizes, you know. The goal is just to get to the top. So whatever it takes.
Timely hitting would be helpful. New York was 1-for-12 with men in scoring position Monday while stranding 13 runners
"We had our chances tonight and just couldn't capitalize," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said
Vaughn had two hits, including a two-run home run, while Luis Robert Jr. delivered a two-run double in the eighth inning
Chicago leadoff man Tim Anderson, who is appealing a six-game suspension for his role in Saturday's benches-clearing fight at Cleveland, left Monday's game with a bruised left forearm. X-rays were negative, and Anderson is day-to-day
Right-hander Touki Toussaint is set to start for Chicago on Tuesday night. Toussaint (1-4, 3.92 ERA) struck out a season-high nine during Thursday's 5-3 loss at Texas but also struggled with his command in spots
Toussaint allowed four runs and five hits, including two home runs, while walking four in 5 1/3 innings
Still, he pitched to a 3.46 ERA in six July appearances, including five starts. A first-round pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2014, the 27-year-old Toussaint signed with the White Sox in late June and is aiming to remain a rotation stalwart for the remainder of 2023 and beyond
"Players are allowed to get better, and I believe that he's one of those guys," White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said. "But we'll see. I mean, there's a long way to go, and he has to continue to perform, but he looks like a guy that is durable enough to take the ball 30 times a year and give us good innings. Right now he's doing it. He's got to continue to work and continue to compete.
Toussaint is 0-1 with a 5.00 ERA in two career appearances against the Yankees, including one start
Yankees scheduled starter Clarke Schmidt is 0-1 with a 3.12 ERA in two appearances (one start) vs. Chicago. The right-hander lost to the White Sox on June 6 at Yankee Stadium after allowing three runs and six hits in six innings. Seby Zavala, who is on the injured list with a strained left oblique, hit two home runs for Chicago
Schmidt (7-6, 4.35) has won three of his past four starts overall. He took a no-decision against Houston on Thursday, pitching five innings of two-run ball
--Field Level Medi