Guardians Beat White Sox 9-3 to Keep Postseason Hopes Alive
The Cleveland Guardians beat the Chicago White Sox 9-3 in ALDS Game 3 in Chicago, cutting their series deficit to 2-1 and avoiding elimination. Jose Ramirez…
The Cleveland Guardians needed a win in Chicago to keep their postseason alive. They delivered, beating the White Sox 9-3 in ALDS Game 3 on Wednesday and cutting their series deficit to 2-1.
Jose Ramirez powered the result with a two-run triple in the eighth inning and a key defensive play that helped Cleveland hold its lead. The Guardians avoided elimination and set up Game 4 on Thursday.
Ramirez reached base three times, going 2-for-5. He also stole third base in the fifth inning and scored on a hard-hit ground ball by Chase DeLauter, beating the throw with a headfirst slide.
The game was still in doubt when Ramirez made his biggest play in the field. With two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth, he stopped a hard-hit ball by White Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas, got to his feet and threw him out. Cleveland held a 5-3 lead.
That stopped Chicago's push. A sold-out crowd at Rate Field had been backing the home team, according to ESPN, but Ramirez's play preserved the Guardians' advantage and helped swing momentum.
Ramirez changes the game
“I felt it was a significant shift in momentum in the game when we were able to make that play,” Ramirez said. “I felt like this is going to be our game.”
Manager Stephen Vogt said Ramirez had made an impact in several parts of the game. “He can hurt you with the bat, the legs, and the glove,” Vogt said after the win. “He showed all of that today.”
Ramirez had undergone hamate surgery in June and had not hit with his usual power since then, ESPN reported. His .368 slugging percentage in the regular season was his lowest since his first partial seasons in the majors.
His performance in Game 3 offered a sharp contrast. The first ball he hit left the bat at 107.9 mph, and a fifth-inning double came off it at 106.5 mph. He later delivered the eighth-inning triple that added two runs.
Steven Kwan said Ramirez’s reaction to teammates celebrating him captured his confidence. “When we get all excited for him, he tells everybody, 'Why are you surprised? This is what I do,'” Kwan said.
Pitching keeps the series open
Cleveland’s pitching staff also helped keep the team in the series. Guardians pitchers struck out 19 Chicago hitters, including a record-tying 17 by the bullpen after opener Daniel Espino was pulled after recording only two outs, ESPN reported.
The White Sox had a chance to close out the series at home, according to FOX 32 Chicago’s live coverage. Instead, Cleveland’s late scoring extended the contest and forced another game.
The Guardians were set to turn to rookie Parker Messick for Game 4. The White Sox, meanwhile, were expected to have a rested bullpen after using it conservatively while Cleveland closer Cade Smith threw two innings.
Ramirez said the stakes were clear for the team. “You know the type of season I had, but it's important for us to win any game going forward, because for us it's do-or-die,” he said through the team interpreter. “So it feels really good. Feels good to help the team.”
Game 3 ended with the Guardians ahead 9-3.
Source: fox32chicago.com
