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Published Jun 23, 2026Updated Jun 23 Major2
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Antonacci's Walk-Off Single Lifts White Sox Past Guardians 6-5
Sam Antonacci's two-run single in the ninth inning gave the Chicago White Sox a 6-5 walk-off victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Monday night, ending Chicago's three-game losing streak and tying them with Cleveland atop the AL Central division.
Quick Facts
- Walk-off two-run single by Antonacci in ninth inning
- White Sox defeated Guardians
- White Sox ended three-game losing streak
- White Sox tied Cleveland for first place in AL Central
- Bazzana drew leadoff walk and stole base
Sam Antonacci delivered a walk-off two-run single in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Chicago White Sox a 6-5 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Monday night. The dramatic finish came after Cleveland scored twice in the top of the ninth to take a 5-4 lead, setting the stage for Chicago's dramatic comeback. Rookie Braden Montgomery started the winning rally with a one-out walk off Cade Smith (2-1), followed by Tristan Peters' double. Smith struck out pinch hitter Jacob Gonzalez before Antonacci's clutch hit sealed the victory.
The win marked Chicago's sixth walk-off victory of the season, tied for the most in Major League Baseball. The White Sox improved to 40-37 and snapped a three-game losing streak, pulling into a first-place tie with Cleveland (41-38) in the AL Central division. The Guardians, meanwhile, have now lost 11 of their last 16 games.
Chicago's offense had built an early lead, with Randall Grichuk hitting a solo home run in the sixth inning off Tim Herrin to extend the White Sox advantage to 3-0. The game was competitive throughout, with Cleveland scoring three runs off reliever Glenn Taylor in the seventh to tie the game at 3-3. White Sox starter Anthony Kay had been effective through five innings, retiring 10 consecutive batters before allowing a walk to Kyle Manzardo in the sixth.
The Guardians' go-ahead runs in the ninth came from rookie Travis Bazzana, who drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third on a stolen base and wild pitch, then scored on Patrick Bailey's single. Manzardo added a sacrifice fly off Chris Murphy (2-0) for a 5-4 lead. However, the lead proved short-lived as Antonacci's ninth-inning heroics gave Chicago the victory.
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Why This Matters
Antonacci's walk-off single represents a crucial momentum shift for the White Sox, who had been struggling with three consecutive losses. This victory not only ties them with Cleveland atop the AL Central but also marks their sixth walk-off win of the season—tied for the league's best—demonstrating their ability to win close games under pressure. For fans and playoff observers, this result signals that Chicago remains competitive in a tight divisional race and can execute in high-leverage situations.