White Sox beat Guardians 4-3 to take 2-0 ALDS lead
In short
The Chicago White Sox beat the Cleveland Guardians 4-3 on Monday in Cleveland to take a 2-0 lead in their American League Division Series. Braden Montgomery hit a two-run double in a three-run sixth inning and reliever Sean Burke allowed one hit over 5⅓ innings. Chicago is one win from its first ALCS appearance since 2005, with Game 3 in Chicago on Wednesday.
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The Chicago White Sox beat the Cleveland Guardians 4-3 in Cleveland on Monday to take a 2-0 lead in their American League Division Series. Braden Montgomery lined a two-run double down the right-field line in a three-run sixth inning, and reliever Sean Burke allowed one hit over 5⅓ innings, striking out six on 83 pitches, according to the Associated Press and The Boston Globe. [ 1 , 3 ]
Chicago improved to 4-0 in these playoffs, all on the road, and is one win from the AL Championship Series for the first time since winning the World Series in 2005. The White Sox became the first team to reach the postseason after three straight 100-loss seasons, including a post-1900 record 121 defeats in 2024, both outlets reported. [ 1 , 3 ]
The Guardians got 11 strikeouts from starter Gavin Williams, tied for second-most in a Cleveland postseason game, but their offense failed to produce for a second straight game, The Boston Globe reported. Jo Adell hit an RBI triple in the eighth and Chase DeLauter had two hits, the AP and the Globe said. [ 1 , 3 ]
The Globe described the sequence of the sixth: Miguel Vargas led off with a single that chased Williams, Randal Grichuk walked, and an Erik Sabrowski wild pitch with Tommy Pham at the plate moved the runners to second and third. After Pham flied out to shallow left, Montgomery drove the go-ahead runs in on a first-pitch fastball and later scored on Chase Meidroth's single to right. Chicago had pulled within 2-1 in the fourth when Kyle Teel singled, advanced on Vargas's walk and scored on Munetaka Murakami's base hit. [ 3 ]
Burke entered with one out in the third; after a walk to Travis Bazzana with one out in the fourth, he retired 13 straight until DeLauter's single to left ended his night. Grant Taylor worked 1⅓ innings and allowed one hit for his second straight save, per the Globe. [ 3 ]
The Globe said the best-of-five series shifts to Chicago for Game 3 on Wednesday. The AP and Reuters items did not state the date or venue of the next game. [ 3 ]
Why it matters
For the White Sox, a team that lost 121 games in 2024, a win in Game 3 would send them to the American League Championship Series for the first time since their 2005 World Series title. The Guardians, who got 11 strikeouts from starter Gavin Williams but little offense for a second straight game, face elimination. The series now shifts to Chicago.
Key facts
- The Chicago White Sox beat the Cleveland Guardians 4-3 in Game 2 of the AL Division Series in Cleveland on Monday. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Chicago leads the best-of-five series 2-0. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Braden Montgomery lined a two-run double down the right-field line in a three-run sixth inning. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Reliever Sean Burke allowed one hit in 5⅓ innings, struck out six and threw 83 pitches. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Guardians starter Gavin Williams struck out 11, tied for second-most in a Cleveland postseason game. [ 3 ]
- The White Sox are 4-0 in these playoffs, all on the road, and one win from the AL Championship Series for the first time since winning the 2005 World Series. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Chicago became the first team to reach the postseason after three straight 100-loss seasons, including a post-1900 record 121 defeats in 2024. [ 1 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The White Sox beat the Guardians 4-3 on Monday in Cleveland. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Chicago leads the division series 2-0. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Braden Montgomery hit a two-run double in the sixth inning. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Sean Burke pitched 5⅓ innings of relief and allowed one hit. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The White Sox are 4-0 in the playoffs and one win from the ALCS for the first time since 2005. [ 1 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Game 3 is scheduled for Wednesday in Chicago. Stated only by The Boston Globe; the other documents do not mention the next game's date or venue.
- Grant Taylor worked 1⅓ innings and earned his second straight save. Reported only by The Boston Globe.
- Jo Adell hit an RBI triple in the eighth and Chase DeLauter had two hits for Cleveland. The AP text is truncated at this point; The Boston Globe gives the full detail.