The Chicago White Sox dropped a 3-1 decision to the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday, September 13, 2026, at Busch Stadium, managing just one run on three hits across nine innings. Michael McGreevy shut down the Sox offense for six frames while Alec Burleson drove in all three Cardinals runs with a single hit, delivering the damage that Chicago's pitching staff ultimately could not overcome. The loss belongs to David Sandlin, who was sharp but not sharp enough on a day when the Sox bats offered him almost nothing to work with.

White Sox Offense Produces One Run Against Cardinals Pitching Staff

The Sox put up a fight on the mound but generated precious little at the plate. David Sandlin was actually solid in his start, working 5.2 innings, allowing just two hits and zero earned runs while striking out five without issuing a walk. That kind of outing should give a team a chance to win. It did not on Sunday.

Chris Murphy followed Sandlin with a sharp 1.1 innings of relief — four strikeouts, two hits allowed, zero runs — before Trevor Richards closed out the ninth with a clean frame. Combined, the White Sox pitching staff limited St. Louis to three earned runs. The problem was entirely on the other side of the ledger.

Chicago's batters finished with three hits total and crossed the plate just once. No away batters from the Sox lineup stood out in the boxscore highlights, which tells its own story. Against a Cardinals staff that was throwing strikes and keeping the Sox off balance all afternoon, Chicago never generated the kind of sustained pressure needed to change the outcome.

Alec Burleson and Michael McGreevy Power Cardinals to Victory

The Cardinals got everything they needed from two players. McGreevy was the story on the mound, going six full innings, allowing three hits and three walks while surrendering just one earned run and striking out six. He kept the White Sox lineup guessing, worked through traffic when it appeared, and handed his bullpen a two-run lead that proved to be more than enough.

At the plate, Alec Burleson was the Cardinals' most important offensive contributor. He went 1-for-3 but drove in all three St. Louis runs, turning one hit into the entire margin of victory. Nathan Church added a 2-for-3 performance to keep Cardinals rallies alive, but it was Burleson's RBI work that did the real damage.

Gordon Graceffo was nearly untouchable in relief for St. Louis, working two perfect innings with three strikeouts and no baserunners allowed. George Soriano closed it out in the ninth for the save, allowing one hit and two walks but holding the line to preserve the Cardinals' win.

Turning Point: Cardinals Leverage Early Lead, White Sox Never Responded

With McGreevy keeping Chicago to minimal traffic through six innings and Graceffo shutting the door for two more, the Sox never had a realistic window to manufacture a comeback. The Cardinals entered the ninth with a two-run cushion that their bullpen protected without serious threat. Chicago's lone run was not enough to spark anything in the late innings, and the Cardinals closed it out without drama.

Key Performances

  • Alec Burleson (STL): 1-for-3, 3 RBI — drove in every Cardinals run
  • Nathan Church (STL): 2-for-3, 0 RBI — consistent presence in the Cardinals lineup
  • Michael McGreevy (STL, W): 6.0 IP, 6 K, 1 ER, 3 H, 3 BB
  • Gordon Graceffo (STL): 2.0 IP, 3 K, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB
  • George Soriano (STL, SV): 1.0 IP, 0 K, 0 ER, 1 H, 2 BB
  • David Sandlin (CWS, L): 5.2 IP, 5 K, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 BB — took the loss despite allowing no earned runs
  • Chris Murphy (CWS): 1.1 IP, 4 K, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 BB

What's Next for the White Sox

Chicago heads into the next stretch of the 2026 regular season needing to generate more offensively. A pitching staff that combined for zero earned runs in a loss is not the problem — the offense leaving starters and relievers alike without a cushion is. The Sox will need to find answers at the plate if they want to string together wins as September rolls on.