Guardians beat White Sox 9-5, force decisive Game 5 in ALDS
Posted on 10/10/26 at 11:29
The Cleveland Guardians defeated the Chicago White Sox 9-5 on Thursday night, October 8, at Guaranteed Rate Field, forcing a decisive Game 5 in the American League Division Series. The series is now tied 2-2, and Cleveland, which lost the first two games at home, has won for the second consecutive day.
A sixth inning that changed the series
Chicago had taken a 2-0 lead, but Cleveland responded in the fifth. Patrick Bailey opened the inning with a pinch-hit home run, and Steven Kwan singled off Erick Fedde. With Jordan Hicks on the mound, José Ramírez connected on a 99.9 mph fastball and sent it to the right-center field stands: a two-run home run, and Cleveland took the lead 3-2.
The White Sox responded with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Sam Antonacci was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded from Tim Herrin, and Brenton Doyle gave Chicago the lead back, 4-3, with a sacrifice fly. Chicago left the bases loaded when rookie Braden Montgomery struck out against Erik Sabrowski.
In the sixth, Travis Bazzana tied the game 4-4 with an RBI double off Anthony Kay. Grant Taylor entered, and Bailey greeted him with an RBI single. Then, Brayan Rocchio and Kwan loaded the bases for Ramírez, who drove in a run with an infield single. Chase DeLauter added another RBI single, and Jo Adell closed out the six-run rally with a line drive to right field that brought home Kwan and Ramírez.
Game figures
- José Ramírez: home run and three RBIs. It was only his second home run since September 1, in a span of 26 games, and his first in the postseason since 2024. He underwent surgery after fracturing a bone in his left hand on a swing on June 13.
- Patrick Bailey: pinch-hit home run and RBI single in the sixth.
- Jo Adell: two-run single. In the series, he has four hits, three walks, and six RBIs, including a three-run triple in Game 3.
- Gavin Williams: Game 2 starter, got the final three outs in his first relief appearance in the major leagues.
Chicago’s bullpen is in trouble
The bullpen, one of the White Sox’s greatest strengths in a surprising season, looked tired. Taylor had thrown 5 1/3 innings without allowing a run in the first two games, but this time allowed four runs and four hits without getting any of the six batters he faced out.
Miguel Vargas hit a home run in the ninth, his first career postseason home run. Antonacci drove in two runs and made news again: he became the first player in postseason history to be hit by a pitch with the bases loaded more than once, as it had also happened to him in Game 3. He has been hit by 33 pitches this year, including 29 in the regular season, a franchise record.
Chicago thus failed for the second consecutive time to close out the series at home. The attendance was 39,920 fans.
What’s at stake
Cleveland, champion of the American League Central, is seeking to become the first team to come back from a 0-2 deficit in a best-of-five series since the 2017 New York Yankees, precisely against Cleveland. Teams that take a 2-0 lead in this format have won 83 of 93 times.
What’s next
Game 5 will be played on Saturday, October 10, at night in Cleveland. Williams could start for the Guardians.