CHICAGO (Interstat) — Sean Burke pitched six strong innings and Miguel Vargas hit a tiebreaking solo home run in the sixth inning as the Chicago White Sox edged the Cleveland Guardians 2-1 on Tuesday night at Guaranteed Rate Field.

The White Sox won for the second straight night against the Guardians, improving to 41-37 on the season. Cleveland fell to 41-39.

The game remained scoreless through three innings before Chicago broke through in the fourth. With one out, Randal Grichuk doubled to left field off Guardians starter Parker Messick. After Chase Meidroth struck out, Colson Montgomery singled to right field, scoring Grichuk and giving the White Sox a 1-0 lead.

Cleveland answered in the top of the fifth. Kahlil Watson led off the inning with a solo home run to right field, his first of the season, tying the game at 1-1. The Guardians then loaded the bases with two outs on a single by Austin Hedges, a single by Petey Halpin and a walk to Kyle Manzardo, but Brayan Rocchio popped out to shortstop to end the threat.

The White Sox regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth. Vargas led off the inning with a home run to left field, his 17th of the season, off Messick. Chicago then went quietly in the inning, but the 2-1 lead held.

Messick was the hard-luck loser despite a stellar performance. The left-hander allowed two runs on three hits over 7 2/3 innings, striking out 10 and walking one. He retired 10 of the final 11 batters he faced after Vargas’ home run, departing after striking out Colson Montgomery and Junior Perez to begin the eighth.

Burke earned his fifth win of the season, allowing one run on six hits over 6 1/3 innings. He struck out six and walked one. The right-hander worked out of a jam in the fifth, getting Rocchio to pop out with the bases loaded after Watson’s homer tied the game.

Sean Newcomb recorded his second save of the season, pitching 2 2/3 scoreless innings. He allowed no hits and struck out two, retiring the final eight batters he faced in order.

Watson led the Guardians with two hits, including the home run and a single in the sixth. Hedges also had two hits, a single and a double. Steven Kwan doubled in the third for Cleveland’s only other extra-base hit.

For the White Sox, Grichuk doubled and Vargas homered. Montgomery had the only other hit for Chicago, a single in the fourth.

The game was played in 2 hours, 6 minutes in front of 28,883 fans.

The Guardians left five runners on base and went 0 for 3 with runners in scoring position. The White Sox left two on base and were 1 for 3 with runners in scoring position, with Montgomery’s RBI single being the only such hit.

Cleveland threatened in the seventh when Hedges led off with a double, but the Guardians could not advance him. Newcomb entered after Burke departed with one out in the seventh and quickly retired David Fry and Travis Bazzana to end the inning. He then set down the side in order in the eighth and ninth, striking out Hedges to end the game.

The victory gave the White Sox a two-game lead over Cleveland in the season series, with the teams meeting again Wednesday in the finale of this three-game set.

The Guardians will send a pitcher to be determined against White Sox right-hander Davis Martin in the series finale.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Cleveland Guardians 5, Chicago White Sox 4. Interstatl’s ELO system had projected Cleveland with a 55.00 percent probability to win. Cleveland had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5. The total score of 3 went over the over/under line of 7.