The Guardians just landed a massive 9-3 punch on the White Sox, completely flipping the script and cutting their ALDS lead to a suddenly shaky 2-1. For a team that had only allowed nine runs *total* in their previous four postseason games, giving up that many in a single contest is a major red flag, and it means things are definitely less secure than they were.
The Wheels Come Off the Run Prevention Machine
Things were looking pretty darn smooth for the White Sox heading into this one. After four postseason games, their pitching had been practically unhittable, giving up just nine runs. But against the Guardians, that whole “run prevention” thing just evaporated. Sean Newcomb actually kicked things off looking solid on the mound. He got Steven Kwan on a soft grounder and then watched Randal Grichuk make a phenomenal diving catch on a liner from José Ramírez. The crowd was absolutely electric, and Newcomb retired Chase DeLauter for a perfect top of the first. You thought, “Okay, here we go.”
Then Bryan Hudson came in after Newcomb’s excellent two innings, and well, his outing was anything but smooth. He immediately walked the speedy Travis Bazzana to lead off, and you could feel the momentum shift. Kyle Teel even tried an ABS challenge that didn’t go his way. Patrick Bailey then hit a liner that often finds grass, though Colson Montgomery did manage a leaping catch this time. The White Sox’s airtight defense got leaky, and the Guardians capitalized, ultimately hanging a nine-spot.
Brief Sparks From The South Siders
Despite the rough final score, the White Sox weren’t totally silent. They actually got on the board first in the bottom of the first against Guardians starter Daniel Espino, who’s only 25. Sam Antonacci led off with a walk, then Miguel Vargas singled to put them in prime scoring position. Munetaka Murakami struck out, but Kyle Teel wasn’t letting the opportunity slip. He absolutely crushed a liner down the right field line, bringing Antonacci home for the game’s first run. Vargas got to third, and they still had only one out! Espino got Chase Meidroth to strike out, which led to an early pitching change, bringing in lefty Foster Griffin to face Tristan Peters. Griffin got Peters to strike out that time, but Peters would get his revenge later.
In the fourth inning, Peters came up clutch, smacking an RBI double that clawed into Cleveland’s lead. Even with Jo Adell getting an infield single earlier in the second, then getting doubled off by a quick throw from Vargas after Nathaniel Lowe hit a 104.6 mph liner, the White Sox showed moments of life. But those sparks just weren’t enough to contain a Guardians offense that was determined to stay alive.
The Guardians have now cut the White Sox’s best-of-five series lead to a precarious 2-1. This wasn’t the kind of game the White Sox wanted to play, especially not after their stellar run prevention previously. Now, they’ve gotta regroup fast. Game 4 is gonna be a massive one, with everything on the line for the Guardians to even it up, and for the White Sox to stop the bleeding and close this thing out. You know both teams are coming out swinging.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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