Guardians complete ALDS comeback from 0-2 down, beat White Sox 2-0 in Game 5

A comeback from 0-2

The Cleveland Guardians beat the Chicago White Sox 2-0 on Saturday night in Game 5 of the best-of-five AL Division Series, completing a comeback from an 0-2 deficit. The White Sox won the first two games, outscoring Cleveland 7-3 in that span. Cleveland then won the next three games, outscoring Chicago 20-8, with 9-3 and 9-5 wins in Games 3 and 4 before the 2-0 clincher. The Guardians became the first team to complete a Division Series comeback from 0-2 since the 2017 New York Yankees did it to them, and the 11th team to do so in a best-of-five series.

Ramírez's swing

José Ramírez hit a two-run homer off Sean Burke in the fourth inning, on a pitch 0.74 feet above the ground. According to MLB Statcast, it was the lowest pitch hit for a postseason home run since tracking began in 2008. The homer was Ramírez's sixth career postseason home run, tying Albert Belle for third-most in franchise history. Ramírez went 0 for 6 with three strikeouts in the first two games, then went 5 for 12 with two homers and seven RBIs over the last three. His regular-season average of.235 was the second-lowest of his 14-year career, and he missed 30 games in June and July after surgery to repair a broken hamate bone in his left hand.

Ramírez explained the swing through an interpreter, citing his knowledge of Burke's pitches.

We've faced him a couple of times. So we know he has a really good curveball. I was able to get my legs and get a good contact.

Pitching and strikeouts

Gavin Williams struck out 12 and allowed one hit, a knuckle-curve from Kyle Teel that went into right field with two outs in the sixth inning. Williams became just the third pitcher in postseason history to get the last out of a game and start the following game when his team faced elimination in both, two days after recording the save in Game 4. Guardians pitchers struck out 21 White Sox batters, the most in a nine-inning postseason game. Over the series, Chicago batters struck out a Division Series record 75 times and hit.194 with runners in scoring position, going 1 for 18 in the last two games.

What comes next

Chicago managed only three hits in Game 5 and did not hit a home run, according to The New York Times. White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami said through an interpreter that the team's intent was to win the game, the series and fly to Tampa, and that the loss was obviously disappointing with a lot to learn from it. Catcher Kyle Teel said the White Sox were left with a painful result after the game.

We wanted it so bad, it hurts.

Cleveland opens the AL Championship Series at Tampa Bay on Monday night, seeking its first World Series trip since 2016. The franchise has not won the title since 1948, the longest drought among MLB teams. Manager Stephen Vogt praised Ramírez after the win.

You don't ever count him out. You don't ever worry about him. He's going to show up when we need him.

Game 1 of the ALCS is scheduled for Monday, October 12, at 8 p.m. on TBS, TruTV and HBO Max.