The Cleveland Guardians eliminated the Chicago White Sox with a 2-0 victory in Saturday's winner-take-all Game 5 of the ALDS.
José Ramírez hit the game-winning homer in the fourth inning, while starter Gavin Williams tied a franchise postseason record with 12 strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings to record the win.
"José's the GOAT. He's always one swing away. We know that," Williams said postgame, according to Tim Stebbins of MLB.com. "We believe in him, we love him, and he's just gonna do what José knows how to do."
The Guardians are the 11th team in MLB history, and first since 2017, to win a best-of-five series after dropping the first two games. Only four clubs have accomplished the feat after losing the first two at home.
Cleveland is now set to play the Tampa Bay Rays in the best-of-seven ALCS. The winner of that series will take on either the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers or Milwaukee Brewers in the World Series.
It's the Guardians' second ALCS appearance in three seasons. Cleveland hasn't reached the World Series since 2016, and hasn't won a championship since 1948 - the longest active drought in MLB.
The White Sox struck out 21 times in Game 5, which is an MLB record for a nine-inning game. The team also set a record for a best-of-five series with a staggering 75 strikeouts.
Right-hander Sean Burke allowed two runs on four hits with two walks and four strikeouts in the defeat.
Chicago made it to the ALDS after losing 100-plus games during the regular season between 2023-25.
"We came into the year with a zero percent chance in making the playoffs and we shocked the world and did everything we said we were going to do," said Colson Montgomery, according to Scott Merkin of MLB.com. "Coming up short like this, it hurt. It hurts a lot. But there's a lot to be proud of."
The White Sox got knocked out of the playoffs by the Guardians after also losing the AL Central title to their division rival. Chicago led the division for 96 days during the regular season before Cleveland took the lead in mid-September and never looked back.
