Cleveland’s bullpen tried its best to give this one away, and the offense simply would not let it happen. The Guardians needed extra innings to finish off a 4-3 win over the White Sox, salvaging the finale of a tense three-game series that had Cleveland clinging to first place by the slimmest of margins. The team’s official account celebrated the result with a lighthearted message as the team headed home.
“Happy flight!” Guardians wrote.
Happy flight!#GuardsBall | #GuardiWins pic.twitter.com/3ToRgc1yQG
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) June 25, 2026
Tanner Bibee was the steadiest presence on the mound for most of the night, working six scoreless innings while scattering three hits and striking out three. His ERA over his last four June starts now sits at 1.71, continuing a stretch that has made him one of the more reliable arms in Cleveland’s rotation during a difficult run for the offense.
Kahlil Watson continued making the most of his opportunity in the major leagues, breaking a scoreless tie in the sixth with a two run single that scored Brayan Rocchio and pinch runner Petey Halpin after Cleveland loaded the bases against Chicago starter Erick Fedde. The rookie’s hot stretch capped off a memorable debut series, one that also included his first career hit and his first career home run earlier in the set.
Patrick Bailey added another run in the eighth on a bases loaded walk, pushing Cleveland’s lead to 3-1 and putting the Guardians in position to close out the series win. That advantage evaporated almost instantly in the ninth, as Chicago answered with back to back home runs that tied the score and sent the game to extra innings, marking the second time in the series the White Sox had rallied late against Cleveland’s relief corps.
Watson refused to let the moment slip away. He delivered again in the 10th inning, lining a go-ahead single that brought home the automatic runner and gave Cleveland the lead for good. Shawn Armstrong handled the rest, working around a leadoff jam in the bottom half and getting a key ground out at first base to end the threat and secure the win.
Cleveland will use Thursday’s scheduled day off to regroup before opening a three game series against Seattle on Friday at Progressive Field. The Guardians will need more performances like Watson’s breakout series if they hope to hold their ground in an AL Central race that has tightened considerably over the past two weeks.
NEXT: Guardians Reliever Shut Down With Elbow Inflammation
