Sam Antonacci lined a game-ending, two-run single with two outs in the ninth inning to lift the host Chicago White Sox to a 6-5 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Monday, June 22.
Chicago, which led 3-0 after six innings, rallied to win the opener of a three-game American League Central showdown series to tie Cleveland atop the division.
Antonacci went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and Braden Montgomery also had two hits. The White Sox delivered against Guardians closer Cade Smith (2-1) after Seranthony Dominguez blew his second save in the top of the inning.
Smith, the major league saves leader, suffered a blown save for the first time since April 14.
Cleveland challenged the call that Tristan Peters scored the winning run but the play was upheld on replay review.
Brayan Rocchio went 3-for-5 for the Guardians and Kyle Manzardo capped a two-run ninth with an RBI sacrifice fly on a play overturned by replay.
Antonacci grounded a go-ahead RBI single in the seventh inning to put the White Sox ahead 4-3.
Chicago built a 3-0 lead after six innings. Montgomery opened the scoring with a two-out RBI double in the second. The White Sox added to the advantage on Andrew Benintendi’s run-scoring single one inning later.
Randal Grichuk greeted Guardians reliever Tim Herrin with a pinch-hit solo home run to lead off the sixth. It was his third pinch-hit blast of the season and eighth overall.
Cleveland took little time to respond, rallying for three seventh-inning runs against Grant Taylor. After allowing a leadoff walk and single to the first two batters he faced, Taylor got a strikeout and walk ahead of pinch-hitter Kahlil Watson, who grounded a two-run single to the right side for his first major league hit.
Rhys Hoskins’ two-out RBI single to center tied the game at 3.
Guardians starter Gavin Williams took a no-decision after spacing two runs and five hits in five innings with one walk and eight strikeouts. Williams bookended his night effectively, retiring the first five and final eight batters he faced.
Chicago counterpart Anthony Kay also fanned eight over six scoreless innings. Kay limited Cleveland to three hits while walking two.
Winner Chris Murphy (2-0) notched the last two outs for Chicago.
White Sox catcher Kyle Teel, who started the season on the injured list with hamstring and knee injuries, was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in his 2026 debut.
The Akron Beacon Journal sports department can be contacted via email at bjsports@thebeaconjournal.com.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Sam Antonacci hits 2-out, 2-run single in 9th to lift White Sox to win
