I’m running out of ways to describe the magic that is the 2026 White Sox. Every time you think they’re done or the magic will come to an end, they find a way to pull it off. With a 1-0 lead in the ALDS, the White Sox met the Guardians for one more in Cleveland on Monday night to try and take a commanding 2-0 lead in the series. Anthony Kay, a starter for the White Sox all season, got the ball in an opener capacity, and he faced off with Gavin Williams, the AL leader in strikeouts.
After a scoreless first for the offense, Anthony Kay surrendered a leadoff single to Steven Kwan, followed by a walk to Jose Ramirez. He got Chase DeLauter to ground out, and turned the ball over to Sean Newcomb in a first inning jam. A walk to Jo Adell loaded the bases for Nathaniel Lowe, who hit a comebacker to Newcomb, and an errant throw by the southpaw allowed two runs to score and gave Cleveland an early 2-0 lead. Newcomb escaped without further damage, but the White Sox struggled with Gavin Williams early. A leadoff single by Kyle Teel and a walk to Miguel Vargas led to the White Sox’ first run of the game after Munetaka Murakami’s single plated Teel, but the White Sox couldn’t do any further damage against Williams.
Through five innings, Williams fanned 11 White Sox hitters, and he exited the game after surrendering a leadoff single to Miguel Vargas in the sixth. A walk to Randal Grichuk and a wild pitch put the White Sox in a prime position to tie the game with one out, but Tommy Pham’s pop-up had the Guardians on the verge of escaping unscathed. Enter Braden Montgomery, who took the first pitch from Erik Sabrowski down the right field line for a two-run double to give the White Sox the lead. Chase Meidroth followed with an RBI single of his own, and all of a sudden the White Sox led 4-2.
BRADEN MONTGOMERY FOR THE LEAD! pic.twitter.com/YeBoujhaiH
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) October 5, 2026
Sean Burke and Grant Taylor shut the door after the White Sox rally
Sean Burke turned in the biggest outing of his career, entering the game in the third inning and retiring 14 hitters in a row before a two-out single by Chase DeLauter in the 8th. Grant Taylor, who earned a four-inning save on Saturday, promptly allowed an RBI triple to Jo Adell to get the Guardians within one. Nathaniel Lowe’s fly out ended the threat, and Taylor worked a perfect ninth inning to lock down yet another White Sox victory.
The White Sox are now 4-0 in the Postseason and will head back to Chicago with two chances to win and advance to the ALCS for the first time since 2005. Game 3 will be Wednesday afternoon beginning at 3:00 pm Central Time at Rate Field. Should there be a Game 4, it’ll take place Thursday at either 4 PM or 7 PM, pending the outcome of the Yankees-Rays series.
As unbelievable as this season has been for the Chicago White Sox, it’s not over yet. The Southsiders find themselves just one win away from the American League Championship Series. Neither team has announced a pitching plan for Wednesday’s game, but Davis Martin and Erick Fedde could be candidates to see some innings for the White Sox, while the Guardians could roll with lefty Foster Griffin or righty Tanner Bibee. Whatever the pitching matchup may be, don’t count the White Sox out, because they always seem to find a way.
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