Toronto Star
· collected 2026-10-11 · by Joe Reedy The Associated Press
Gavin Williams struck out a record 12 batters as Cleveland's pitchers combined for 21 strikeouts overall, helping the Guardians defeat the Chicago White Sox 2-0 in Game 5 of their AL Division Series. José Ramírez hit a critical home run to give Cleveland the lead and secure the series win after overcoming an initial 0-2 deficit. This victory marks Cleveland's comeback as just the eleventh in MLB history where a team won after losing the first two games at home.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-11,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Guardians pitchers combined for a nine-inning postseason record of 21 strikeouts in Game 5 of their American League Division Series (ALDS) against the Chicago White Sox on Saturday night, winning the game 2-0. Gavin Williams started for Cleveland and struck out 12 batters, while José Ramírez provided the only runs needed with a go-ahead home run in the fourth inning. The Guardians completed an improbable comeback from being down 2-0 to advance to the AL Championship Series against Tampa Bay on Monday night. This was the first time since 2017 that a team came back from a 2-0 deficit in a best-of-five series, and only the second instance of such a feat since 1900. The White Sox were held to just three hits and finished with a batting average of .185 over the five-game series. Despite their struggles at the plate, Chicago still managed a .235 average from Ramírez who improved his performance in the final games after starting 0-for-6 in the series. With this victory, Cleveland aims to secure its first World Series appearance since 2016 and end the longest drought among MLB teams without a title (since 1948). The Guardians will face the Tampa Bay Rays for a chance at reaching the World Series.
Written for “Guardians vs White Sox ALDS Game 5” on 2026-10-11,
grounded in this article and the 7 other(s) covering the same event.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Gavin Williams had 12 of a record 21 strikeouts by Cleveland pitchers, José Ramírez hit a go-ahead home run on a pitch just above home plate and the Guardians beat the Chicago White Sox 2-0 Saturday night to complete a comeback from an 0-2 deficit in their best-of-five AL Division Series.
asserted
Guardians → have → Series
Cleveland opens the AL Championship Series at Tampa Bay on Monday night, seeking its first World Series trip since 2016.
asserted
Cleveland → open → 2016
The Guardians/Indians franchise hasn’t won the title since 1948, the longest drought among MLB teams.
asserted
franchise → win → teams
Guardians pitchers set a record for strikeouts in a nine-inning postseason game and the most in any regular or postseason game since at least 1900.
asserted
pitchers → set → 1900
The White Sox got just three hits, put only nine balls in play and finished the series with 75 strikeouts and a .185 batting average.
asserted
Sox → get → strikeouts
“It was less about chase and more about being attacked in the zone and swing and miss in the zone,” White Sox manager Will Venable said.
asserted
Venable → attack → zone
“Just didn’t have what it would have took to move some balls forward there.”
asserted
it → have → balls
Cleveland became just the 11th team to win a best-of-five series among the 96 that fell behind 0-2, the first since the 2017 New York Yankees against the Indians and only the fourth to achieve the feat after losing the first two games at home.
asserted
that → become → home
Two days after saving Game 4, Williams became just the third pitcher in postseason history to get the last out of a game and start the following game when his team faced elimination in both.
asserted
team → save → both
He didn’t allow a hit until Kyle Teel looped a knuckle-curve into right field with two outs in the sixth, two innings after Ramírez homered for the second straight game, a two-run drive off Sean Burke.
asserted
Ramírez → allow → Burke
After a walk loaded the bases, Erik Sabrowski relieved and struck out Munetaka Murakami on a foul tip, the pitcher letting out a yell.
asserted
pitcher → load → yell
Williams’ 12 strikeouts tied Cleveland’s record for a postseason game.
asserted
strikeouts → tie → game
He got 22 swings and misses, and his 24 strikeouts over three games were one shy of the mark for best-of-five postseason series.
asserted
strikeouts → get → series
“That was big-boy stuff today,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said.
asserted
Vogt → say → ?
“We’ve seen other performances like that in the postseason, but to do it in this stage and these types of games facing three straight elimination and you have one of your starters say I will pitch whenever you need me to, super impressive.
asserted
me → see → whenever
Hunter Gaddis followed Sabrowski and got four outs, and Cade Smith finished for his first career five-out save, striking out the side in the ninth.
asserted
Smith → follow → ninth
He blew a fastball by Tristan Peters for the final out, setting off a celebration at Progressive Field.
asserted
He → blow → Field
Chicago, the first team to reach the playoffs after three straight 100-loss seasons, has not won the World Series since 2005.
asserted
Chicago → reach → 2005
Ramírez homered on a knuckle-curve 0.74 feet above ground, the lowest pitch hit for a postseason home run since tracking started in 2008, according to MLB Statcast, and the lowest hit by Ramirez in his 14-year big league career.
uncertain
tracking → homer → career
Steven Kwan had singled leading off the fourth ahead of Ramírez’s sixth postseason homer, which went just over the wall near the right-field line.
asserted
which → single → line
Murakami and Andrew Benintendi struck out four times each, and Teel and Chase Meidroth three times apiece.
asserted
Murakami → strike → ?
Tampa Bay went 5-1 against the Guardians, including three shutouts.
asserted
Bay → go → shutouts
It will be the third postseason meeting of the teams following the Rays’ win in the 2013 wild card game and the Guardians’ sweep in the 2022 Wild Card Series.
asserted
It → follow → Series
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