White Sox beat Guardians 4-3, move one win from ALCS
Braden Montgomery's two-run double in the sixth inning lifted the Chicago White Sox past the Cleveland Guardians 4-3 on Monday, giving Chicago a 2-0 lead in their American League Division Series. One more victory would send the White Sox to their first AL Championship Series since their 2005 championship season. Game 3 is Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET in Chicago on TBS and truTV.
The Chicago White Sox are one win away from the American League Championship Series after Braden Montgomery lined a two-run double down the right-field line in the sixth inning to beat the Cleveland Guardians 4-3 on Monday at Progressive Field. Chicago leads the best-of-five Division Series 2-0.
Cleveland scored twice in the first inning when reliever Sean Newcomb threw wide of first base on Nathaniel Lowe's high chopper with the bases loaded. It was the first time in four playoff games that Chicago had trailed, the AP reported.
Guardians starter Gavin Williams struck out 11 batters, tied for the second most in a Cleveland postseason game, but Chicago kept extending at-bats. Munetaka Murakami's RBI single in the fourth made it 2-1. In the sixth, Miguel Vargas singled to chase Williams, and a walk and a wild pitch by reliever Erik Sabrowski put two runners in scoring position. Montgomery jumped on the first pitch for the go-ahead double, then scored on Chase Meidroth's single.
Sean Burke handled the rest. He entered with one out in the third and allowed one hit over 5 1/3 innings, retiring 13 straight batters at one point. Jo Adell's RBI triple in the eighth cut the lead to one, but Grant Taylor got Lowe to fly out and closed the game for his second straight save.
The run marks a stunning turnaround. The White Sox lost a modern-record 121 games in 2024, and they are the first team to reach the playoffs after three straight 100-loss seasons, according to the AP and Sporting News. Chicago is 4-0 this postseason and is chasing its first ALCS trip since it won the 2005 World Series.
Game 3 moves to Rate Field in Chicago on Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET on TBS and truTV, and Cleveland must now win three straight games to survive.
In the other American League series, the Yankees and Rays were still playing Game 2 late Monday on TBS and truTV, with Tampa Bay ahead in the series after a 1-0 win in Game 1.
On Sunday, Michael Harris II tripled, scored the go-ahead run and added an RBI double as the Atlanta Braves beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2 to even their series 1-1. Milwaukee's Jackson Chourio hit a two-run walk-off single to beat San Diego 4-3 for a 2-0 lead. Brewers at Padres is Tuesday at 9:30 p.m. ET on FS1, and the Braves will host Game 3 with Chris Sale lined up to start.
What we know: Chicago leads Cleveland 2-0, Atlanta and Los Angeles are tied 1-1, and Milwaukee leads San Diego 2-0.
What we don't: How the Yankees-Rays Game 2 ended, and whether Cleveland can win three in a row.
Where outlets agree The AP and Sporting News both report that Braden Montgomery's two-run double in the sixth and Sean Burke's 5 1/3 innings of relief gave Chicago a 4-3 win and a 2-0 series lead.
Where they differ The AP blamed a Cleveland offense that stalled for a second straight game, while a Yahoo Sports recap credited Chicago hitters for running up Gavin Williams' pitch count until he left.