Guardians force decisive ALDS Game 5 as White Sox miss chance to reach first ALCS since 2005
Cleveland Guardians beat Chicago White Sox 9‑5 in ALDS Game 4, forcing a decisive Game 5
CLEVELAND – The Cleveland Guardians secured a 9‑5 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night in the second‑to‑last game of the American League Division Series, setting up a winner‑take‑all showdown in Saturday’s Game 5.
The game, played at the Guardians’ home ballpark, saw Cleveland take an early lead, extending it in the third inning to 2‑0 on a sacrifice fly by Sam Antonacci. Chicago briefly answered, but the Guardians’ offense ignited in the top of the fifth when Patrick Bailey and José Ramírez each hit a home run, giving the visitors a 4‑2 edge.
White Sox went back on the board in the bottom of the fifth. After Antonacci was hit by a pitch, the team rallied to tie the game at 3‑3, and a later sacrifice fly by Brenton Doyle gave Chicago a 4‑3 lead that proved to be the final margin. The White Sox’s early advantage had been 2‑0, but Cleveland’s fifth‑inning burst was enough to keep the game within reach until the final inning.
In the bottom of the ninth, White Sox first baseman Miguel Vargas belted a solo homer to left field, cutting Cleveland’s lead to 6‑4 and giving the Sox a chance to mount a comeback. The team later forced a two‑outs, two‑runs situation, but the Guardians’ bullpen held on for the win.
With this victory, Cleveland has won the first two games of the series, clinched the third and fourth games, and now faces the White Sox in a winner‑take‑all Game 5 scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on Saturday. The White Sox, who last reached the American League Championship Series in 2005, will be looking to end a two‑decade drought and advance to the ALCS for the first time since that season.
The Guardians’ success has highlighted the depth of their lineup and pitching staff, while the White Sox’s early offensive spark and late‑inning rally were insufficient against Cleveland’s defense and bullpen.
The outcome leaves Cleveland on the brink of the ALCS and Chicago scrambling to regain momentum before the decisive game.
