ALDS Game 5 is tonight, and it is the only Division Series of the 2026 MLB postseason to go the distance. The Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Guardians meet at Progressive Field in Cleveland at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, Oct. 10, with the American League Division Series tied 2-2 and a trip to the ALCS against the top-seeded Tampa Bay Rays on the line.
Cleveland lost the first two games at home, then scored nine runs in each of the next two games in Chicago to force a winner-take-all finale. Here is what happened, the key numbers, why it matters, and what comes next.
ALDS Game 5 at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Matchup | No. 6 Chicago White Sox at Cleveland Guardians (AL Central champions) |
| Series | Tied 2-2 (best-of-five) |
| Date and time | Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT |
| Venue | Progressive Field, Cleveland |
| TV / streaming | TBS, truTV, HBO Max; UniMas (Spanish) |
| Radio | ESPN Radio (English); TUDN Radio (Spanish) |
| Probable starters | RHP Sean Burke (CWS) vs. RHP Gavin Williams (CLE) |
| Winner advances to | ALCS vs. No. 1 Tampa Bay Rays, Game 1 Monday, Oct. 12, at Tropicana Field |
How the Series Got Here: Game-by-Game Results
Verified facts — scores from MLB.com’s official 2026 postseason schedule and results.
| Game | Date | Site | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | Sat., Oct. 3 | Cleveland | White Sox 3, Guardians 0 |
| Game 2 | Mon., Oct. 5 | Cleveland | White Sox 4, Guardians 3 |
| Game 3 | Wed., Oct. 7 | Chicago | Guardians 9, White Sox 3 |
| Game 4 | Thu., Oct. 8 | Chicago | Guardians 9, White Sox 5 |
| Game 5 | Sat., Oct. 10 | Cleveland | 8 p.m. ET |
The White Sox reached the Division Series by sweeping the Houston Astros 2-0 in the Wild Card Series (6-3 and 7-3). Cleveland, which won the AL Central, had a first-round bye.
Game 4 recap: Cleveland’s six-run sixth
According to MLB.com’s Game 4 recap, Cleveland managed just one hit through four innings and trailed 2-0 at Rate Field before the game turned:
- Fifth inning: Home runs by Patrick Bailey, who began the night on the bench, and José Ramírez put Cleveland ahead 3-2. Chicago answered to retake a 4-3 lead.
- Sixth inning: The Guardians sent 10 batters to the plate and scored six runs. Travis Bazzana’s RBI double put Cleveland ahead for good, and White Sox reliever Grant Taylor was charged with four runs without recording an out. The six runs tie for the third-most in a single inning in Cleveland postseason history.
- Ninth inning: Gavin Williams threw 18 pitches to record the final three outs.
Cleveland’s back-to-back nine-run games are only the second time in franchise history it has scored nine runs in consecutive postseason games; the other was Games 3 and 4 of the 1997 World Series, per MLB.com.
Game 5 Pitching Matchup and Key Stats
Verified facts — via MLB.com’s Game 5 preview.
- Sean Burke (White Sox): 2-0 with a 1.04 ERA in three regular-season appearances (two starts) against Cleveland. In Game 2 he allowed one hit and one run over 5 1/3 innings in bulk relief.
- Gavin Williams (Guardians): Led the American League with 248 regular-season strikeouts and struck out 11 over five innings in Game 2.
Hitters to watch
- Miguel Vargas (CWS): Has reached base 12 times in the series and homered in the ninth inning of Game 4.
- José Ramírez (CLE): 4-for-9 with a double, triple, home run and five RBIs since starting the series 0-for-6.
- Patrick Bailey (CLE): Pinch-hit home run and two RBIs in Game 4.
- Angel Martínez (CLE): 0-for-15 with eight strikeouts in the series.
Announced lineups
White Sox: Sam Antonacci LF, Kyle Teel C, Miguel Vargas 3B, Munetaka Murakami 1B, Andrew Benintendi DH, Tristan Peters CF, Chase Meidroth 2B, Braden Montgomery RF, Colson Montgomery SS.
Guardians: Steven Kwan CF, José Ramírez 3B, Chase DeLauter RF, Jo Adell DH, Nathaniel Lowe 1B, Angel Martínez LF, Travis Bazzana 2B, Patrick Bailey C, Brayan Rocchio SS.
Developing: MLB.com reported catcher Austin Hedges was sore after a foul tip off his right knee, with manager Stephen Vogt expecting him to be available. Lineups can change before first pitch.
Why ALDS Game 5 Matters to Fans
Verified context:
- A rivalry decided by inches. The clubs met 13 times in the regular season; seven games were decided by one run and four ended on walk-offs. The AL Central race came down to the final week.
- Cleveland’s drought. The franchise’s last World Series title came in 1948, the longest active championship drought in MLB.
- Chicago’s turnaround. The White Sox finished 60-102 in 2025 and set the modern MLB record with 121 losses in 2024. Their 2026 season ended a run of three straight 100-loss campaigns.
- History on the line for Cleveland. A win would make the Guardians the fourth team to come back from 0-2 in a best-of-five Division Series after dropping the first two games at home, joining the 2001 Yankees, 2012 Giants and 2015 Blue Jays.
What the manager and players said
Team and player statements, as reported by MLB.com:
- Guardians manager Stephen Vogt, on playing on the road: “What do you like better? Do you like to make 50,000 people go crazy, or do you like to shut 50,000 people up?”
- Travis Bazzana: “We’ve been in plenty of situations where our backs are to the wall and we’ve got to find a way.”
What Comes Next
- ALCS: Tonight’s winner faces the No. 1 seed Tampa Bay Rays, who swept the New York Yankees 3-0 in their Division Series. Game 1 is Monday, Oct. 12, at 8 p.m. ET at Tropicana Field on TBS, truTV and HBO Max.
- NLCS: The Los Angeles Dodgers (who beat Atlanta 3-1) and Milwaukee Brewers (who beat San Diego 3-1) open the National League Championship Series Sunday, Oct. 11, at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.
Analysis: Historical precedent offers little edge either way. MLB.com notes that of 18 teams that fell behind 2-0 in a best-of-five postseason series and then won the next two games, 10 went on to win the deciding game. Vanderbiltreport.com does not make game predictions.
More MLB Postseason Coverage on Vanderbiltreport.com
- MLB Division Series Begin: Game 1 Schedule, Starters and What to Know
- MLB Final Weekend: How the 2026 Playoff Races Were Decided
- More Professional Sports news
Sources
- MLB.com — 2026 postseason schedule, results and how to watch
- MLB.com — White Sox vs. Guardians ALDS Game 5: date, time and lineups
- MLB.com — Guardians win ALDS Game 4
- ESPN — Guardians force decisive Game 5
- CBS Sports — Guardians erupt in sixth inning to force Game 5
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