CHICAGO -- It was a black-clad crowd roaring at Rate Field as the White Sox tried to close out the American League Division Series on Wednesday. But the Guardians, it turns out, weren’t ready to attend their own funeral.
The Cleveland Guardians will face the Chicago White Sox in Game 4 of the ALDS on Thursday at Rate Field, aiming to stave off elimination once again. Leading the series 2-1, manager Will Venable's White Sox seek their first home postseason series clinch since 1906. Cleveland forced the contest following a 9-3 Game 3 victory, setting up a matchup featuring Guardians left-hander Parker Messick against Chicago's rookie southpaw Hagen Smith.
Cleveland's pitching staff enters the game after setting an MLB nine-inning postseason record with 19 strikeouts on Wednesday. The Guardians will have catcher Austin Hedges behind the plate for Messick, while Chicago intends to deploy an opener strategy with Smith backed by a rested bullpen featuring Erick Fedde and Jordan Hicks. Manager Stephen Vogt's Cleveland squad requires a win to force a decisive Game 5 back home.
Get the latest sports news and top stories from MySportsTab delivered straight to your inbox.
No spam. Just the latest sports news and updates.
