Rays and White Sox each win Game 2 to take 2-0 ALDS leads
Braden Montgomery’s two-run double carried Chicago past Cleveland 4-3, and Tampa Bay turned four Yankees errors into a 5-2 win. Both American League series move to the trailing teams’ parks Wednesday with the Rays and White Sox one win from the ALCS.
White Sox 4, Guardians 3 (Cleveland): Braden Montgomery lined a two-run double down the right-field line in a three-run sixth, and Sean Burke allowed one hit over 5⅓ innings of relief as Chicago won Monday’s Game 2, the AP reported via ESPN. Cleveland scored twice in the first on a throwing error, and Jo Adell’s RBI triple in the eighth pulled the Guardians within one, but Grant Taylor got the final four outs for his second straight save. Guardians starter Gavin Williams struck out 11, tied for second-most in a Cleveland postseason game, while the offense managed four hits, the AP said.
Why it matters for Chicago: The White Sox are one win from their first AL Championship Series since they won the 2005 World Series. They are the first team to reach the postseason after three straight 100-loss seasons, including a post-1900-record 121 losses in 2024, ESPN reported.
Rays 5, Yankees 2 (St. Petersburg): New York committed four errors, three in the first inning, and Tampa Bay scored in the first on a wild Yankees throw before breaking a 1-1 tie with four runs in the fifth, MLB.com reported. Junior Caminero doubled at 112.4 mph, Liam Hicks drove in a run on a groundout, and Richie Palacios capped the inning with a two-run single, ESPN said. Ben Rice homered twice for the Yankees. Yankees starter Cam Schlittler took the loss, Cam Booser got the win, and Bryan Baker earned the save before 40,226 fans, per Baseball-Reference.
The Yankees’ hole: The four errors tied the second-most in franchise postseason history, MLB.com said. New York, which managed one hit in Game 1, now needs three straight wins.
Next up: Both ALDS go to Game 3 on Wednesday, in Chicago and at Yankee Stadium. Tonight, the NL Division Series resume with Game 3s: Dodgers at Braves, tied 1-1, and Brewers at Padres, with Milwaukee up 2-0.
Sources
- ESPN (AP) — White Sox beat Guardians in Game 2, move within 1 win of ALCS
- CBS Sports (AP) — White Sox top Guardians 4-3 to take 2-0 ALDS lead
- AP News — Guardians’ bats go cold again, wasting Gavin Williams’ 11 strikeouts in Game 2 loss
- ESPN — Rays take advantage of error-prone Yankees to win ALDS Game 2
- MLB.com — Yankees lose ALDS Game 2
- MLB.com — Rays win ALDS Game 2
- Baseball-Reference — 2026 ALDS Game 2, Yankees vs. Rays box score