After a fateful sixth inning in which they surrendered six runs, the Cleveland Guardians dropped their series opener against the Chicago White Sox 7-3 on Monday at Progressive Field. It means they are, again, a game and a half behind their rivals in the fight for the AL Central title with a 76-75 record.
Gavin Williams had thrown five shutout frames before that sixth inning, in which an 18-pitch at-bat against Tristan Peters forced him out and sealed his team’s fate. The righty allowed two runs (one earned), charged to him after departing with no outs. He surrendered four hits, three walks, and two hit batsmen, striking out seven.
Not our night.#GuardsBall | #StandGuard pic.twitter.com/5OOnCdBEm5
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) September 15, 2026
After Sean Newcomb served as the opener with a scoreless frame, Sean Burke dominated Guardians’ hitters for five frames, allowing just an unearned run. Chicago’s offense and bullpen did the rest.
With the game scoreless after five, things started to go south for Cleveland in the sixth. Williams gave up a leadoff single to Andrew Benintendi, setting up a never-ending battle with Peters.
After the 18th pitch of the at-bat was a walk, Williams reached 113 pitches and was taken out of the game with runners on first and second and no outs. Tim Herrin forced Colson Montgomery to hit what looked like a double-play ball, but first baseman Nathaniel Lowe’s throw hit the runner going from first to second on the head, and the ball bounced far away from all fielders, helping Benintendi score the first run of the game.
how we scored 6 in the 6th inning ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/3GMuMm0Hae
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) September 15, 2026
Before the game, Lowe had said that the Guardians needed to treat every game like a must-win affair, not just against the White Sox. Fate determined that he was going to be in the middle of the action in one of the night’s key plays.
Chase Meidroth then singled to bring in Peters home and double Chicago’s lead. Herrin found the first out via a Braden Montgomery strikeout, but then Randal Grichuk’s single loaded the bases.
Kyle Teel made it a 4-0 ballgame with a two-run double, and could have been more if Brayan Rocchio hadn’t thrown out Grichuk at the plate with a perfect relay throw.
Daniel Espino entered the game in Herrin’s place and gave up a long two-run home run to Miguel Vargas before finding the final out of the forgettable inning. In that sixth frame, the game slipped through the Guardians’ fingers.
The Guardians scored their first run in the bottom of the sixth. Colson Montgomery couldn’t catch a Jose Ramirez pop-up, allowing Patrick Bailey to cross home plate. Against Connor Brogdon, Benintendi singled in Vargas in the ninth for the White Sox’s seventh run, which was charged to Slade Cecconi.
In the bottom of the ninth, David Fry hit a two-run shot that drove in Jo Adell and made it a 7-3 ballgame. It wouldn’t be enough, though.
Ramirez went 1-for-4 with two stolen bases, Bailey was 1-for-3 with a run scored, and Steven Kwan had a hit and a walk. Fry hit the homer, scored a run, and drove in two.
The series will continue on Tuesday. Davis Martin will be the White Sox’s hurler, and Foster Griffin will toe the rubber for the home club.
NEXT: Stephen Vogt Sets Tone For Guardians’ Last Homestand This Season
