The Cleveland Guardians achieved an extraordinary feat on Saturday night, as their pitchers set a nine-inning postseason record by striking out 21 Chicago White Sox batters. This victorious Game 5 win in the American League Division Series marked a stunning comeback, as the Guardians rebounded from a 2-0 series deficit to secure the series with a 2-0 victory.
Gavin Williams was instrumental in Cleveland’s triumph. Starting for the Guardians, he struck out an impressive 12 out of the 21 batters he faced. Williams delivered 5.2 scoreless innings, yielding just one hit, two walks, and a hit batsman.
José Ramírez bolstered the team’s position with a pivotal two-run home run in the fourth inning. The pitch he hit measured 8.88 inches off the ground, marking the lowest such home run in postseason history since 2008 and the lowest of Ramírez’s career. This was all the Guardians needed, as the bullpen solidified the win. Erik Sabrowski, Evan Gaddis, and Cade Smith combined to claim the final 10 outs, notching nine more strikeouts.
Ramírez’s performance marked a significant turnaround after a regular season where his .235 batting average, .320 on-base percentage, and .368 slugging percentage were the lowest since 2015. After starting the series 0-for-6, he went 5-for-12 in the final three games, contributing two homers, a triple, and a double.
The White Sox, renowned for their high strikeout rate, experienced unprecedented struggles at the plate. While their regular season strikeout rate stood at 24.1%, it spiked to 63.6% during Saturday’s game.
Cleveland’s road to victory was not easy. They lost the opening two games of the series at home, offering the White Sox an opportunity to win a series at home for the first time since 1906. However, the Guardians rallied to win three consecutive elimination games, sending the White Sox home.
Next, the Guardians will challenge the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Championship Series. This will mark their second appearance in this round in three years. The Rays, having recently swept their AL East rivals, the New York Yankees, will host the ALCS opener in Florida on Monday. The subsequent winner will compete against either the reigning champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers, or the Milwaukee Brewers in the finals.
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