As three of the four spots in the league championship series were secured, Thursday night’s game between the White Sox and Guardians was the only matchup on MLB’s postseason schedule. The stakes were high for Chicago, offering them a chance to end a long American League Championship Series drought. However, the White Sox fell 9-5 in Game 4, missing the opportunity to reach the ALCS for the first time since 2005.
The Guardians used two powerful home runs in the fifth inning to clinch their second consecutive victory against Chicago. This win set the stage for a decisive Game 5 set on Saturday.
Cleveland Strikes Back
The White Sox started the game strong, with Sam Antonacci’s sacrifice fly in the third inning extending their lead to 2-0. The Guardians responded quickly in the fifth inning, with home runs from Patrick Bailey and José Ramírez leveling the score. Chicago momentarily regained the lead at 4-3 with a sacrifice fly by Brenton Doyle in the bottom of the fifth.
However, Cleveland’s momentum continued, and the White Sox never led again. Miguel Vargas hit a solo home run in the ninth inning, giving Chicago a chance to rally. Despite getting two runners on base, they could not complete the comeback.
Game 5 of the ALDS will take place in Cleveland, with the first pitch set for 8 p.m. ET.