Gavin Williams recorded 12 strikeouts, while José Ramirez hit a home run on a pitch close to home plate as the Cleveland Guardians defeated the Chicago White Sox 2-0 on Saturday night. This victory allowed the Guardians to rally from a 0-2 deficit in their best-of-five AL Division Series.
The Cleveland team will now face off against Tampa Bay in the AL Championship Series starting on Monday night, aiming for their first World Series appearance since 2016. The Guardians’ last championship win dates back to 1948, making it the longest title drought among all MLB teams.
In a remarkable feat, Williams, who had secured a save in Game 4, joined an elite group by becoming only the third pitcher in postseason history to close out a game and then start the subsequent game when facing elimination in both instances. Williams held off the White Sox without allowing a hit until the sixth inning when Kyle Teel managed a single with two outs. Ramirez contributed significantly to the win by hitting a two-run homer off Sean Burke, marking his second consecutive game with a home run.
