White Sox, Twins try to shake off disappointing stretches

Longtime American League Central rivals will play each other six times in the final nine games of the season, beginning Tuesday, when the Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins open a three-game series in Minneapolis.

As recently as the morning of Sept. 9, when first-place Cleveland held a 1 1/2-game lead over the White Sox and Twins, it had the makings of a dramatic finish to the AL Central race.

But the Guardians (86-6