The Cleveland Guardians had every reason to fold on Thursday night. They had just watched a 3-2 lead turn into a 4-3 deficit in the bottom of the fifth inning of Game 4 of the American League Division Series, with their bullpen walking batters and hitting Sam Antonacci with the bases loaded to let the White Sox back in front. One more loss would have ended their season. Instead, Cleveland sent ten batters to the plate in the top of the sixth, scored six runs and cruised to a 9-5 win that forced a decisive Game 5. After the game, Stephen Vogt explained that the response did not surprise him one bit, because it is exactly who this team has been all season.
“We talk about it, we punch back,” Vogt said.
"This team has answered all year. You know, we talk about it, we punch back"
(Via MLB Video) #Guardians Stephen Vogt on Cleveland's huge 6th inning#GuardsBall @WEWS pic.twitter.com/Gl0Gdt5zXf
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) October 9, 2026
Vogt pointed out that this group has answered every challenge thrown at it this year. He admitted that once the game turned into a battle of the bullpens, it felt like it was going to be a back and forth night. What impressed him most was the quality of the at bats in the sixth. Vogt said his hitters laid off the tough pitches, waited for good ones, did not try to do too much and simply took what the White Sox gave them. That approach allowed the Guardians to keep adding on, and Vogt said he could not applaud the offense enough for the way it stepped up.
The inning was a perfect example of what he described. Travis Bazzana, Patrick Bailey, José Ramírez and Chase DeLauter each drove in a run, and Jo Adell capped the rally by lining a 100 mph sinker for a two run single that made it 9-4. Four of the six runs were charged to closer Grant Taylor, who had shut down Cleveland while saving Games 1 and 2.
Punching back has been a theme for this team all season. The Guardians sat at 70-70 and three games behind the White Sox after a loss on Sept. 3, then went 15-6 over their next 21 games to win the division. When Chicago won the first game of a key three game series at Progressive Field in the middle of September, Cleveland answered with two straight wins. And after dropping the first two games of this series at home, the Guardians have won two straight elimination games on the road.
Thursday’s answer came at the perfect time. The White Sox had all the momentum after retaking the lead, and the Rate Field crowd was ready to celebrate a trip to the American League Championship Series. Cleveland silenced that energy in a matter of minutes.
NEXT: Jose Ramirez Reveals Promise He Made To Parker Messick In Game 4
