Watson’s 10th-inning – Khalil Watson singled home the winning run in the 10th inning as the Cleveland Guardians rallied to beat the Chicago White Sox 4-3 on Friday night, moving into first place in the AL Central after a second straight walk-off win. Steven Kwan drove the tying rall
CLEVELAND — The Guardians didn’t just come back. They did it the way this season is starting to feel in their hands: late, loud, and decided on the smallest possible margin.
In the 10th inning. with Steven Kwan beginning the bottom half as the automatic runner on second base. Cleveland strung together the exact kind of sequence that turns a game from manageable to impossible for the other team. Travis Bazzana singled to left field to move Kwan to third. and Khalil Watson followed with a base hit up the middle off Sean Newcomb to score the winning run. The final was 4-3, and Cleveland moved into first place in the AL Central.
It was Cleveland’s second consecutive walk-off win to begin a four-game series between the top two teams in the division.
Watson’s hit mattered beyond the moment. It was his first walk-off hit, and it came from a roster spot earned just recently—he was called up June 17 from Triple-A Columbus. In 15 games, the rookie has nine RBIs, and this one capped another sharp Guardians answer to late-game pressure.
On the mound, Eric Sabrowski (3-1) got the win after retiring the White Sox in order in the top of the 10th. Over the past two games against Chicago, Cleveland’s bullpen has surrendered only two hits in 9 1/3 scoreless innings.
The White Sox had their own loud inning to remind Cleveland how quickly a lead can slip. Third baseman Miguel Vargas reached 20 home runs for the first time in his five-year career with a three-run shot in the fifth. That swing put Chicago ahead 3-1 after a series of earlier scoring plays.
Cleveland struck first in the third. With Bazzana lining a base hit up the middle, he drove in Gabriel Arias to give the Guardians a 1-0 lead. Then, in the seventh, Cleveland answered Chicago’s momentum when Austin Hedges and Steven Kwan each delivered RBI singles to tie the game.
Chicago reclaimed control again in the 10th, just before the game paused. With two outs and runners at the corners. Vargas drove a 3-2 sweeper on the 10th pitch of the at-bat against Cleveland starter Gavin Williams down the left-field line. The hit sent Vargas across the plate and put Chicago up 3-1 again. and after Vargas crossed. umpire Edwin Moscoso called for the grounds crew to cover the field. The rain delay lasted 1 hour, 55 minutes.
When play resumed, Cleveland needed one clean break to flip the ending.
Anthony Kay, the White Sox starter, allowed one run and one hit in four innings.
Cleveland’s next step comes quickly. Saturday, Chicago will start right-hander Sean Burke (5-4, 3.69 ERA) as he tries for his third win in four outings. The Guardians counter with rookie left-hander Parker Messick (7-5, 2.85).
Cleveland Guardians Chicago White Sox Khalil Watson Travis Bazzana Steven Kwan Miguel Vargas Gavin Williams Sean Newcomb rain delay AL Central