The Cleveland Guardians earned a dramatic 7-6 walk-off win against the Chicago White Sox at Progressive Field on Tuesday, tying the series ahead of a huge finale on Wednesday. Once again, shortstop Brayan Rocchio came through with a two-run double in the bottom of the ninth against the stellar Grant Taylor to flip the score and send everyone home happy.
Rocchio was down to his last strike with two outs, runners on second and third, and Cleveland down 6-5. He swung at a high fastball and, to the surprise of many, the ball traveled past the left fielder to win the Guardians the game.
DEATH, TAXES, ROCCTEMBER
Brayan Rocchio’s clutch gene prevails again, the #Guardians walk off the White Sox 7-6
Cleveland will play for the series AND control of the AL Central tomorrow.
On the mound: Parker Messick#GuardsBall x @WEWS pic.twitter.com/47Qc5Gbivd
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) September 16, 2026
Cleveland is now half a game behind the White Sox for the top spot in the AL Central. They are 77-75, breathing down the 77-74 White Sox’s neck.
Foster Griffin gave the Guardians four innings, in which he surrendered just two runs but put too many people on base. He gave up five hits, walked two, and fanned five.
The Guardians took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first with a stunning power display. With Steven Kwan on first, Jo Adell belted his 22nd home run of the year, a two-run shot that gave his team a 2-0 lead. Travis Bazzana followed with a solo blast to make it 3-0. Cleveland got off to a promising start.
The White Sox, however, are pesky. They wear down pitchers, they make plenty of contact, and they are aggressive on the basepaths.
They were on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth. Brenton Doyle opened the inning with a long triple, and Sam Antonacci immediately hit an RBI single to drive him in.
In the next frame, Chicago cut the deficit to just one run with a sac fly by Miguel Vargas, plating Tristan Peters. A throwing error by White Sox pitcher Davis Martin on a pickoff attempt allowed Rocchio to score Cleveland’s fourth run in the fifth, extending their lead to 4-2. It wouldn’t last long, though.
Craig Yoho got into trouble in the top of the sixth, loading the bases while getting just one out before giving way to Hunter Gaddis. The right-hander wasn’t much better, surrendering an RBI single to Chase Meidroth and a game-tying sac fly to Randal Grichuk.
The next batter, Vargas, hit a go-ahead two-run single that scored Peters and Meidroth. Just like that, Chicago took control of the game. Or so it seemed.
Bazzana would bring the Guardians closer, just one run behind, with his second solo home run of the night in the bottom of the sixth. The long drive made it a 6-5 ballgame.
After Gaddis, Tim Herrin pitched a clean inning of relief, and Cade Smith contributed an additional five outs, showing the world how hot the Guardians’ bullpen is. Those performances gave Cleveland’s offense a fighting chance. And it delivered.
Nathaniel Lowe led off the bottom of the ninth with a single. Angel Genao then struck out, but Patrick Bailey walked to put runners on first and second. Petey Halpin’s groundout moved both runners into scoring position, setting up Rocchio’s heroics.
Mr. September.#GuardsBall | #GuardiWins pic.twitter.com/KUclEh81CH
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) September 16, 2026
It was Rocchio’s fourth walk-off hit of the year. He has been directly responsible for four Guardians wins this year. The guy can be inconsistent at the plate, but boy is he clutch.
The Guardians will send their ace, Parker Messick, to the mound on Wednesday’s finale, starting at 1:10 pm ET. If Cleveland wins, they will leapfrog the White Sox at the top of the AL Central standings.
NEXT: Guardians Star Rookie Feels Renewed Wrist Soreness
