CHICAGO — The Cleveland Guardians kept their season alive with a 9-3 win over the Chicago White Sox in Game 3 of the American League Division Series in Chicago, trimming Chicago's lead in the best-of-five series to 2-1. The loss was a rare run-prevention stumble for Chicago (84-78), which had allowed just nine runs total across four postseason games before Cleveland (85-77) matched that total in one night.
Chicago struck first after a clean top of the first from opener Sean Newcomb, who retired Steven Kwan on a grounder back to the mound, got a diving catch from Randal Grichuk to rob José Ramírez, and set down Chase DeLauter for a perfect inning. In the bottom half, 25-year-old right-hander Daniel Espino walked Sam Antonacci and gave up a single to Miguel Vargas before Munetaka Murakami struck out swinging. Kyle Teel then lined a ball down the right field line to score Antonacci for a 1-0 lead, but Espino struck out Chase Meidroth and left-hander Foster Griffin entered to strike out Tristan Peters to strand two in scoring position.
The game turned in the third after Newcomb's two excellent innings. Bryan Hudson walked Travis Bazzana to open the inning as Kyle Teel unsuccessfully challenged two pitches via the ABS system, leaving Chicago out of challenges in the third. Colson Montgomery made a leaping catch to rob Patrick Bailey, but Brayan Rocchio singled to put two on and Steven Kwan delivered Cleveland's first hit with runners in scoring position this series to tie it 1-1. Hagen Smith took over and loaded the bases before getting a force at home, but Jo Adell cleared the bases with a sharp grounder just fair down the right field line for a three-run triple and a 4-1 Cleveland lead.
Chicago answered with doubles from Meidroth and Peters to cut it to 4-2 in the bottom of the third, after Peters was initially ruled hit by pitch before the call was overturned to a foul ball on a Cleveland challenge and an unsuccessful Chicago challenge for catcher's interference. Cleveland added to the lead in the fifth against Noah Schultz when Ramírez doubled down the left field line, stole third, and scored on a grounder from DeLauter as Meidroth's throw home was late. The White Sox threatened again in the bottom of the fifth against Joey Cantillo as Antonacci singled and Vargas walked with no outs, but Murakami grounded to second for the first out with two in scoring position.
The defeat marked Chicago's first deficit of the postseason after its strong pitching start to October. Cleveland's early pitching change to Griffin and timely hitting from Kwan and Adell proved decisive, while Vargas helped defensively with a catch on Nathaniel Lowe's 104.6 mph liner (.640 xBA) in the second and a quick throw to double off Adell at first.