White Sox rally for 3 runs in ninth, beat Guardians 5-3 as teams await discipline for nasty brawl
CLEVELAND (AP) — Elvis Andrus hit a two-run single after Chicago tied it in the ninth inning on consecutive throwing errors by Cleveland rookie Bryan Rocchio, giving the White Sox a 5-3 win Sunday over the Guardians, one day after a nasty benches-clearing brawl between the AL Central rivals.
There was no carryover from Saturday night’s melee, triggered by a fight at second base between Chicago’s Tim Anderson and Cleveland’s José Ramírez. There were six total ejections.
Major League Baseball is still reviewing the Anderson-Ramírez altercation, along with subsequent flareups, before handing out discipline.
The White Sox were down to their final strike in the series finale before rallying against All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase (1-6).
Chicago loaded the bases on two singles and the first error by Rocchio, filling at third for Ramírez. Rocchio charged and made a barehanded play on a bouncer, but his throw to first was short and Kole Calhoun, acquired in a trade Friday and making his first start there since 2013, couldn’t handle it.
Zach Remillard followed with a hard smash that Rocchio backhanded. However, his long throw was in the dirt and again Calhoun couldn’t make the pick, allowing the White Sox to tie it.
Andrus, who has plagued Cleveland throughout his career, then grounded his single up the middle as Chicago won two of three to take its first series since July.
Sammy Peralta (1-0) got the win, and Jimmy Lambert worked the ninth for his first career save.
Rookie Gabriel Arias hit a two-run homer for the Guardians.
On Saturday, Anderson threw the first punch before being knocked down by a blind right hook from Cleveland’s All-Star third baseman. Anderson and Ramírez likely will be suspended for multiple games.
Both players were ejected, along with Cleveland manager Terry Francona, third base coach Mike Sarbaugh, Clase and Chicago manager Pedro Grifol.
Anderson was not in Chicago’s lineup and Grifol insisted it was a scheduled off day and had nothing to do with the fight or the shortstop’s behavior — he initially left the field before returning as he sought revenge.
Ramírez started at DH and went 1 for 3 with a double and two stolen bases.
Ramírez received a louder ovation from the Progressive Field crowd than usual for his first at-bat.
A fan sitting down the right-field line clapped while wearing oversized red boxing gloves and another wore a homemade T-shirt with “Down Goes Anderson” on the back, a nod to Guardians broadcaster Tom Hamilton’s call of the sixth-inning fight.
Following Saturday’s fracas, the White Sox came out swinging.
They took a 2-0 lad in the first as Luis Robert Jr. followed a leadoff double by Andrus with an RBI triple off the center-field wall. Eloy Jiménez, who came up limping during the extended scuffle on Saturday, hit a sacrifice fly.
ELVIS HAS LEFT THE BUILDING
Andrus is a renowned Cleveland nemesis.
After hitting getting three hits, he’s batting .376 (74 for 197) in his career at Progressive Field. While he was with Texas from 2009 to 2020, the 34-year-old Andrus had a 39-game hitting streak in Cleveland.
For his career, he’s batting .337 (125 for 371) against Cleveland.
LONG RELIEF
Chicago’s Lane Ramsey made his major league debut. At 6-foot-9, he and Minnesota’s Bailey Ober are currently the majors’ tallest players.
TRAINER’S ROOM
White Sox: C Seby Zavala was placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained left oblique. To take his roster spot, C Carlos Pérez was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte.
UP NEXT
White Sox: Head home to host the Yankees for three games. Dylan Cease (4-5, 4.61 ERA) starts Monday’s opener. New York has not announced its starter.
Guardians: Open a four-game series Monday against Toronto with rookie RHP Gavin Williams (1-3, 3.38 ERA) facing Blue Jays LHP Hyun Jin Ryu (0-1, 7.20 ERA).
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