Chicago White Sox's Anderson out to get batting title

An infield single is rarely worth noting during any given game, but it had to suffice for the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night. For two reasons.

First, there was little else to mention as the Indians dropped the hammer at Guaranteed Rate Field while keeping their postseason hopes alive with an 11-0 win over the Sox.

Second, Tim Anderson reached on the slow roller to shortstop in the third inning. That's big for a hitter trying to win a batting title, and Anderson is attempting to join Frank Thomas and Luke Appling as the only players in franchise history to accomplish the feat.

Heading into Tuesday, Anderson led the American League with a .334 average. The New York Yankees' DJ LeMahieu was second at .329.

Anderson was 1-for-3 against Cleveland before exiting the game in the eighth inning. He's still batting .334. LeMahieu was 1-for-5 and is batting .328.

"It would mean a lot," Anderson said of leading the league in hitting. "You better believe I'm going out and trying to get it. I've made it this far, so why not?"

It's remarkable how far Anderson has advanced with the bat.

Last season, the Sox's 26-year-old shortstop hit .240 and a lack of discipline at the plate left him with a .281 on-base percentage. This year, the OBP is up to .354.

Anderson is still a free swinger with only 13 walks in 503 plate appearances, but White Sox general manager Rick Hahn knew he was a much more dangerous hitter early in the season.

"You see the by-product of his hard work, as well as in some of the mild mechanical adjustments that he made to allow him to stay on the ball longer and tee up the ball a little bit better," Hahn said. "That's allowing his natural gifts to barrel up balls all around the strike zone."

Anderson is close to claiming the batting title, but he's not obsessing over it.

"If I win or if I don't, it's still not going to take away from the season that I've had," he said. "I've come a long way. It's been a good one, but we've got to continue to get better. Try to keep carrying it on to next year and continue to do what I've been doing."

The White Sox used Carson Fulmer as an "opener" against the Indians, and the right-hander gave up a grand slam to Jose Ramirez in the first inning. It was Ramirez's first game back with Cleveland since fracturing the hamate bone in his right hand a month ago.

Ramirez hit a 3-run homer in the third inning off Hector Santiago and finished the game with a career-high 7 RBI.