Guardians Blank White Sox, Advance to ALCS

Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

October 10, 2026

Guardians 2, White Sox 0 — ALDS Game Five

The Cleveland Guardians earned a trip to the American League Championship Series after a 2–0 win over the Chicago White Sox Saturday at Progressive Field in Cleveland. José Ramírez was the hero in this contest, delivering a two-run blast in the fourth inning. This game caps a nice comeback for the Guardians, who at one point, trailed 2–0 in this best-of-five matchup.

With the division series behind them, the Guardians will prepare for the ALCS against the Tampa Bay Rays, which will get underway Monday with first pitch slated for 8 pm Eastern at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. As of press time, both teams have yet to name their starting pitchers for the series opener.

Guardians – White Sox Game Summary

This game remained scoreless for the first three and a half innings. The Guardians got on the board in the bottom of the fourth with right-hander Sean Burke on the mound. Steven Kwan led off the frame with a single to right. That brought up Ramirez, who smoked a line drive on a 2–2 pitch that barely cleared the wall in right for a two-run homer, his second of the series.

What Went Right for the Guardians

Jose Ramirez was a big factor, not only in this game, but over the last three games for the Guardians. In that stretch, he went 5-for-12 with two home runs, seven RBI, a double, and a triple. He also drew four walks and stole one base. His home run in the fourth was all the offense the Guardians needed in front of a packed house in Cleveland.

The single by Kwan, while marking an important baserunner, was icing on the cake.

The Guardians pitching staff surrendered six baserunners but stranded them all. They held the White Sox to an 0-for-1 clip with runners in scoring position.

What Went Wrong for the Guardians

The Guardians prevailed with a 2–0 lead but they could have scored several more runs. As a team, they left five on base and went 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position.

Pitching Notes

Guardians starter Gavin Williams picked up his first win of the postseason on Saturday. He tossed 5 2/3 innings, surrendering two hits and one walk, while striking out 12, tying a franchise playoff record.

Cade Smith, in a late-inning relief role, notched his first save of the postseason after pitching an inning and two thirds with four strikeouts.

Burke shouldered the loss in this one. He pitched five innings, giving up two runs, both earned, on four hits, one of which was the Ramirez long ball. Burke also struck out four.

Vogt’s Postgame Comments

After the game, Guardians manager Stephen Vogt took a moment to praise Ramirez’ performance in this series. “It was like we got our backs against the wall and he said, all right, I got you,” Vogt said. “That’s what he’s been doing for this franchise long before I got here. And he’s been through a lot this year. We’ve been through a lot this year, and we cannot wait to play on Monday and I can’t wait to keep watching José Ramírez do what he does.”

Williams’ Postgame Comments

Guardians starter Gavin Williams reflected on tying the franchise record for strikeouts in a playoff game. “I mean, I’d say it’s pretty cool,” he remarked “But at the same time, I don’t think that’s the big thing to look at. I think we got a bigger goal as the team, and just trying to help the team as much as I can.”

Venable’s Postgame Comments

White Sox manager Will Venable discussed the emotions his team was experiencing after the game. “I think it says a lot,” he said. “Number one, we are sitting in disappointment, obviously, and it hurts not to be able to advance here. That’s what we came to do. So we’re not just happy that we got here. We understand what it takes to get here and have more clarity on what it’s going to take the next time around to go even further.