CLEVELAND — Chicago White Sox right fielder Braden Montgomery went after a first-pitch fastball from Erik Sabrowski and hit a liner down the right-field line.
Would it be fair or foul?
The ball landed in fair territory for a go-ahead two-run double.
The hit came during a three-run sixth inning for the Sox, who rallied for a 4-3 victory over the Cleveland Guardians in Game 2 of the American League Division Series on Monday in front of a sellout crowd of 32,050 at Progressive Field.
With the win, the Sox took a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series. Game 3 is scheduled for Wednesday at Rate Field.
The Sox dug themselves out of a 2-0 hole. Both runs scored on a chopper in the first inning.
Column: Chicago White Sox win ALDS Game 2 over the Cleveland Guardians despite vulnerable pitching
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Starter Anthony Kay surrendered a single to Steven Kwan that was just out of the reach of diving second baseman Chase Meidroth. José Ramírez followed with a walk.
The runners moved up to second and third when Chase DeLauter bounced out to Meidroth.
The Sox made a pitching change, bringing in Sean Newcomb to face Jo Adell. Newcomb got behind in the count 2-0 before the Sox decided to intentionally walk Adell.
That brought up Nathaniel Lowe, who hit a high bouncer on the first pitch. Newcomb had no chance of getting Kwan at the plate when he fielded the ball behind the mound. But the Sox didn’t get any outs on the play when his throw sailed well out of the reach of first baseman Munetaka Murakami. Ramírez scored when the throw got away, making it 2-0. It marked the first time the Sox trailed all postseason.
The Sox got something going offensively in the fourth inning. Kyle Teel singled, the first hit for the team against Guardians starter Gavin Williams. Miguel Vargas walked, bringing up Murakami with two on and no outs.
Murakami fell behind 0-2, but eventually worked a full count. He then singled to right field, scoring Teel to cut the deficit to 2-1. Williams limited the damage in the inning to just the one run.
The right-hander exited after surrendering a leadoff single to Vargas in the sixth. Vargas advanced to second when Murakami grounded out to first against Sabrowski.
Chicago White Sox beat Cleveland Guardians 4-3 in Game 2 of ALDS
Pinch hitter Randal Grichuk walked and the runners moved to second and third when Sabrowski threw a wild pitch with Tommy Pham batting. Pham popped out to shallow left field for the second out.
That brought up Braden Montgomery, who jumped on the first pitch for the two-run opposite-field double to put the Sox ahead 3-2. He scored when Meidroth singled to right against Hunter Gaddis, extending the lead to 4-2.
Sean Burke did the heavy lifting for Sox pitchers, allowing one run on one hit with six strikeouts and one walk in 5 1/3 innings. He exited with a runner on and two outs in the eighth. Adell tripled high off the wall against Grant Taylor to make it a 4-3 game.
Taylor rebounded with a scoreless ninth as the Sox held on to head back home with a chance to close out the series.