Guardians and White Sox meet in winner-take-all ALDS Game 5
Cleveland hosts Chicago on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET with the American League Division Series tied 2-2. Gavin Williams and Sean Burke are the probable starters; the winner faces the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALCS.
The matchup: The Guardians and White Sox play a decisive ALDS Game 5 on Saturday night at Progressive Field, CBS Sports and FOX Sports reported. Road teams won the first four games of the series. Coverage is on TBS, truTV, UniMás and HBO Max at 8 p.m. ET.
Pitching: Guardians right-hander Gavin Williams (0-0, 3.00 ERA in the series; 14-8, 3.76 in the regular season) faces White Sox right-hander Sean Burke (1-0, 3.86 in the series; 11-7, 3.34 regular season), CBS Sports and FOX Sports said. It is essentially a rematch of Game 2, when Williams struck out 11 over five-plus innings and Burke earned the win in Chicago’s 4-3 victory. Williams threw 18 pitches in relief to close Game 4 and said Friday his body felt good enough to start.
Series path: Chicago took Games 1 and 2 in Cleveland; José Ramírez and Jo Adell powered Guardians wins in Games 3 and 4 in Chicago, including a 9-5 Game 4 that forced the finale. Burke has been strong against Cleveland this year (3-0, 1.19 ERA over 22 2/3 innings), CBS Sports reported. Home teams are 18-21 all-time in ALDS Game 5s under the current format.
What’s next: The series winner advances to the AL Championship Series against the Rays beginning Monday. Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said closer Cade Smith’s pitch volume after three straight elimination games remains a concern; White Sox closer Grant Taylor said he was available after a rough Game 4, CBS Sports reported.