Passing the wand: Burke becomes the ace; Sox win another walk-off

Every few days it starts to feel like this White Sox run is too good to be true. Winning the division is a big ask for a young team with no history of success.

Then, the Sox seem to remember there's a magic wand in the dugout and start waving it.

The South Side's impossible dream is rolling right along. They lost the first two games against the Yankees this week, then came back to win the next two in extra innings.

On Thursday, disappointing reliever Seranthony Dominguez kept the Bombers off the scoreboard in the top of the 11th, then a bases-loaded walk to Tristan Peters brought home the winning run in a 2-1 victory at Rate Field.

How long will this last? A scan of the standings suggests the White Sox can take this to the wire.

Quite simply, the 1977 Royals aren't gaining fast in the rear-view mirror. No team is making up ground on the White Sox. If the season ended today, they're still the No. 2 seed in the American League with a first-round bye, awaiting the winner of Rangers vs. Guardians. Really.

In some ways, this Sox team is reminiscent of the 2015 Cubs, another young squad that blossomed sooner than expected.

Remember, there was a point in 2015 when it seemed like the future was not now. Specifically, after the Cubs were no-hit by Philadelphia's Cole Hamels and dropped to 51-46 on July 26.

From that point, though, the Cubs finished the season 46-19, then advanced to the NLCS against the Mets. So yes, young teams can punch the gas in September.

That Cubs squad had the benefit of pitcher Jake Arrieta going on one of baseball's all-time heaters late in the season. OK, but what about Sean Burke?

The White Sox right-hander turned things around in a June 18 start at Yankee Stadium. Since then, Burke has an argument for being the best pitcher in MLB. Without question, he's in the top five.

In his last eight starts, Burke has posted a 1.42 ERA with 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings. He tossed 6 scoreless against the Yankees on Thursday, with 10 strikeouts.

We've known all season the heart of the White Sox clubhouse was pitchers Burke and Davis Martin, who have both sat through a few hundred losses.

In an interesting turn of events, Martin has passed the baton to Burke as ace of the staff. The Tex-Mass combo has become Mass-Tex. Martin grew up on a ranch in Texas, while Burke is from the scenic forests surrounding Worcester, Massachusetts.

Both have found success using a wide variety of pitches with success, which keeps opposing hitters forever guessing. Burke used six different pitches in this game.

“I just feel good with all my stuff right now and I think the game plans coming in have been good,” Burke said after the game. “Just talking with the catchers and the coaches makes my life a little bit easier. Also when you have confidence in all your stuff, it's a little bit easier to game plan.”

There's been some magic in that Harry Potter souvenir wand the past two days. First, they were stymied by Cam Schlitter and trailed 4-0 in the eighth inning Wednesday before back-to-back home runs from San Antonacci and Munetaka Murakami tied the score.

The key play of that game happened in the 11th, when the Sox trailed by a run, with two outs and Murakami on third. For reasons unclear, Yankees catcher Ali Sanchez decided to try for a pick off and made a horrible throw into left field. Murakami jogged home with the tying run and the Sox won it in 12.

There have probably been dumber decisions in MLB this season, but not many.

Third base might have been under some sort of spell, because the Yankees had a second mishap Thursday. Outfielder Jasson Dominguez led off the sixth with a would-be triple into the right-field corner but overslid third base and was tagged out.

This game went into extra innings tied 0-0, so a New York runner on third with nobody out could have changed the outcome.

The Sox posting two walk-off victories after announcing a wand giveaway for Sept. 4 — same as the one wielded by injured pitcher Mike Vasil in the dugout — is almost too on brand. Imagine the levels of magic once everyone in the seats has a wand to wave.