CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Guardians had the start they needed Monday evening at Progressive Field. They had an early lead, an electric performance from Gavin Williams and an opportunity to even their American League Division Series.
Then came the sixth inning. Chicago erased Cleveland’s early advantage with three runs in the sixth and held on for a 4-3 victory in Game 2, sending the Guardians to Chicago facing elimination and trailing the best-of-five series 2-0.
Cleveland struck first in the opening inning. Steven Kwan opened the game with a single before José Ramírez worked a walk. After Jo Adell was intentionally walked to load the bases, Nathaniel Lowe hit a chopper back toward the mound. Chicago pitcher Sean Newcomb’s throw sailed past first base, allowing two runs to score and giving Cleveland an early 2-0 advantage.
Unfortunately for the Guardians, that would be nearly all the offense they could generate until late in the game.
Williams did everything he could to make the lead stand. The Cleveland right-hander delivered one of the strongest postseason outings of his career, striking out 11 White Sox hitters over five innings. Williams allowed two earned runs, three walks and threw 98 pitches.
Chicago finally broke through against Williams in the fourth when Game 1 hero Munetaka Murakami delivered an RBI single to cut Cleveland’s lead to 2-1.
The game changed completely in the sixth. After Williams departed, the White Sox went to work against the Cleveland bullpen. With runners in scoring position, rookie Braden Montgomery delivered arguably the biggest hit of the night, lining a two-run double down the right-field line to give Chicago its first lead at 3-2.
Chase Meidroth followed with an RBI single off Hunter Gaddis, extending the White Sox advantage to 4-2.
It was a crushing sequence for Cleveland after Williams had spent most of the afternoon overpowering Chicago’s lineup.
The Guardians finally showed some life in the eighth. Chase DeLauter singled with two outs, bringing Adell to the plate against Chicago closer Grant Taylor. Adell attacked the first pitch and drove a ball off the wall in left-center field for an RBI triple.
For a moment, Progressive Field thought it might be gone. Instead, the ball stayed in the park, Cleveland pulled within 4-3 and the potential tying run stood just 90 feet away. But Nathaniel Lowe lined out to left field on the very next pitch, ending Cleveland’s threat. Taylor then finished the job for Chicago, earning his second save of the series.
The biggest concern for Cleveland through two games has become impossible to ignore: the offense.
The Guardians have managed just three runs on seven hits through the first 18 innings of the series and are0-for-8 with runners in scoring position. After being shut out 3-0 in Game 1, Cleveland finished Game 2 with only four hits.
Chicago’s pitching staff once again deserves plenty of credit. Sean Burke was outstanding in relief, working 5 1/3 innings while allowing only one hit and one run, striking out six and walking one. At one point, Burke retired 13 consecutive Cleveland hitters.
That performance allowed Chicago to overcome an early two-run deficit and continue what has been a perfect postseason so far. The White Sox have now won their first four playoff games and are one victory away from advancing to the American League Championship Series.
For Cleveland, the situation is now simple. Win or go home. The Guardians will travel to Chicago for Game 3 on Wednesday at Rate Field, trailing the series 2-0. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET.
History certainly isn’t on Cleveland’s side. Teams taking a 2-0 lead in a best-of-five postseason series have gone on to win 83 of 93 such series. But Cleveland doesn’t need three wins Wednesday. It needs one.
The Guardians will have to rediscover the offense that helped carry them down the stretch of the regular season, because another quiet afternoon at the plate will bring their postseason run to an abrupt end. After two frustrating games at Progressive Field, there is no longer any margin for error.
Recent Comments