White Sox clinch 1st AL Central title since 2008

The Chicago White Sox are headed back to the postseason for the second straight year after clinching the AL Central title in a 7-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Thursday.

The White Sox clinched in the first game of a doubleheader against their division rivals.

It's only the second time in a decade that the White Sox have made it to the playoffs after squeaking into the expanded postseason as a third-place team during the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign. It's their first division title since 2008 and second since 2005, when they last won the World Series.

It's also the first time in franchise history that the team made the postseason in back-to-back years.

Although it's Tony La Russa's first season back with the team, it's the second time the Hall of Fame skipper has led the South Siders to the playoffs after he did so in 1983.

At 86-66, the White Sox own the fourth-best record in the AL. If the season ended today, they would be the 3-seed and would face the Houston Astros (91-61) in the ALDS without home-field advantage.

Indians starter Aaron Civale was chased from Thursday's game after surrendering four homers, including a pair to Tim Anderson, over 1 2/3 innings.

Aaron Bummer earned the win for Chicago, pitching a clean fifth inning with one strikeout. Reynaldo Lopez started the game and allowed two runs on four hits - including two homers - while striking out four.