The Chicago White Sox are moving closer and closer to one of the most unlikely postseason runs in recent history, after completing yet another come-from-behind win on Monday evening.
Chicago won Game 1 of its series against the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday afternoon behind a parade of relief pitchers and four heroic innings from Grant Taylor to finish out the win. A mammoth 440-foot home run from Munetaka Murakami in the fourth inning gave the White Sox a 2-0 lead they’d never relinquish, with the Guardians leaving seven runners on base and going 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position.
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On Monday night though, Cleveland looked to turn the tables. The Guardians jumped out to an early 2-0 lead when pitcher Sean Newcomb, replacing starter Anthony Kay, made a throwing error on a Nathaniel Lowe grounder.
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In the 4th inning though, Murakami struck again. After Kyle Teel singled and Miguel Vargas walked, Murakami hit a hard grounder through the right side of the infield to drive in Teel.
Chicago White Sox’s Munetaka Murakami reacts after hitting a two-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the fourth inning in Game 1 of the American League Division Series on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Phil Long)
With Cleveland still up 2-1, the big blow came a few innings later from another Chicago rookie.
In the sixth inning Vargas led off with a single, and Randal Grichuk walked after Murakami grounded out. Reliever Erik Sabrowski threw a wild pitch that let the two runners get to second and third, but Tommy Pham flew out without scoring the tying run. Braden Montgomery though, delivered.
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On the very first pitch, Montgomery laced a sharp double to right field, bringing in both runners and giving the White Sox its first lead, 3-2.
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With high leverage Cleveland reliever Hunter Gaddis now in the game, Chase Meidroth floated a blooper to right, scoring Montgomery and extending the lead to 4-2.
Chicago White Sox outfielder Braden Montgomery celebrates hitting a two-run double against the Cleveland Guardians during the sixth inning of Game 2 of the ALDS for the 2026 MLB playoffs at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio, on Oct. 5, 2026. (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
The Guardians built a rally of their own in the bottom of the 8th, with Chase DeLauter singling off bulk pitcher Sean Burke with two outs. White Sox manager Will Venable brought Grant Taylor back out, just two days after throwing 42 pitches in game one. It backfired, with Jo Adell crushing a 413-foot triple off the top of the left-center field wall and making it 4-3.
Taylor recovered to get Lowe and send the game to the 9th. Remarkably, he finished it out himself on just five pitches, getting Angel Martinez, Travis Bazzana, and Patrick Bailey in order. Two appearances in three days, covering 5.1 innings and 49 pitches. That’s the stuff playoff legends are made of.
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Chicago White Sox relief pitcher Grant Taylor reacts after a win over the Cleveland Guardians in Game 1 of the American League Division Series on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tim Phillis)
The series now shifts to the South Side of Chicago on Wednesday, with neither team having announced a starter. But the win makes the White Sox overwhelming favorites to advance to the ALCS against the winner of the Yankees-Rays series and continue a remarkable season.
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Just two years removed from losing 121 games and becoming the laughingstock of the league, the White Sox have rebuilt quickly. Smart trades, like acquiring Miguel Vargas from the Dodgers at the deadline in 2024 have combined with Murakami’s outstanding first season and strong player development. Players like Montgomery, Colson Montgomery, Meidroth, Taylor and Kyle Teel have grown in their farm system, leading to them scoring the most runs in the American League in 2026.
Cleveland, meanwhile, needs three straight wins to extend their season and avoid another postseason disappointment. They’ll have to take down a team that has yet to lose in the playoffs, and has the Pope behind them, to do it.