Grant Taylor’s Four-Inning Save Lifts White Sox in ALDS Game 1

The White Sox opened the ALDS with a 3-0 win over the Guardians on Saturday at Progressive Field, and they did it with a pitching plan that demanded contributions from nearly everyone. Manager Will Venable chose a bullpen game to start the series, and Chicago’s staff executed it almost flawlessly, capped by a remarkable four-inning save from Grant Taylor.

Taylor’s outing was the story of the afternoon. The right-hander covered the final four innings, the longest appearance of his career, and struck out six while allowing only two hits. It was the first four-inning save in a postseason game since Lance McCullers Jr. did it for the Astros against the Yankees in the 2017 ALCS, making Taylor’s finish a rare October feat.

Chicago’s opener, Hagen Smith, looked sharp early. He retired the first eight batters he faced before suddenly losing the zone and issuing three straight walks to load the bases. Venable quickly turned to Bryan Hudson to face left-handed hitter Chase DeLauter, and Hudson escaped the jam with a soft flyout that kept the game scoreless through three innings.

The breakthrough came immediately in the top of the fourth. Miguel Vargas opened the inning with a line-drive single to left, and Munetaka Murakami followed by hammering the first postseason home run of his career. Murakami jumped on a 93-mph fastball from Parker Messick and sent it 440 feet into the right-field seats, giving the White Sox a 2-0 lead. Vargas and Murakami were also the first two Chicago baserunners against Messick.

Cleveland threatened more than once but never found the key hit. Jordan Hicks began the bottom of the fourth and retired two hitters before walking Nathaniel Lowe. Venable then called on Anthony Kay to face Travis Bazzana, but the inning grew tense when Bazzana doubled and Austin Hedges walked to load the bases. Kay recovered by getting Bryan Rocchio to fly out to right, preserving the two-run edge.

Messick’s day ended in the fifth after Colson Montgomery singled. The left-hander finished with six strikeouts, two runs allowed, four hits and two walks in 4 1/3 innings. Daniel Espino entered and immediately got Chase Meidroth to hit into a double play, limiting the damage. Kay followed with a clean bottom of the fifth, retiring the top of the Guardians order in order.

Another key sequence arrived in the sixth. Tristan Peters singled and Vargas walked, but Erik Sabrowski escaped with help from left fielder Ángel Martínez. After striking out Murakami, Sabrowski watched Tommy Pham drive a deep fly to left. Martínez made a leaping catch near the wall and fired to first to double off Vargas, ending the inning after Chicago’s challenge was unsuccessful.

That set the stage for Taylor, who entered in the sixth and never gave Cleveland an opening. He worked scoreless innings in the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth, quieting a lineup that managed only three hits all game. The Guardians also drew five walks, but Chicago’s relievers repeatedly stranded traffic.

The White Sox added an insurance run in the seventh when Kyle Teel scored from first on Montgomery’s softly hit grounder down the third-base line. With Cleveland shaded to the right side, the ball found open space, and Hedges could not handle Martínez’s throw home in time to record the out.

Stephen Vogt used several trusted relievers, including Tim Herrin and closer Cade Smith, to keep the margin at three. It ultimately did not matter. Chicago stole Game 1 on the road behind timely hitting and an overpowering bullpen effort, and now the White Sox will try to take a commanding series lead Sunday at 5 p.m. ET while the Guardians attempt to even the ALDS.