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Guardians force winner-take-all Game 5 in Cleveland

Troy Smith

Travis Bazzana celebrates with Steven Kwan after scoring in the sixth inning during Game 4 of the American League Division Series. Photo: Jessie Alcheh/Getty Images

The Guardians are coming home for a decisive Game 5.

Driving the news: Cleveland defeated the Chicago White Sox, 9-5, Thursday night, coming back from a 2-0 series deficit to force Game 5 of the American League Division Series.

The winner-take-all game is Saturday at 8pm at Progressive Field.

State of play: Game 4 was back-and-forth until the Guardians blew it open with six runs in the sixth inning.

Cleveland was forced to turn to presumed Game 5 starter Gavin Williams to stop a Chicago rally in the ninth inning.

Flashback: The Guardians spent much of the regular season chasing Chicago before a September surge propelled them to their third consecutive AL Central title.

That momentum disappeared when Cleveland managed just seven hits over the first two games of the ALDS.
The offense finally erupted Wednesday, collecting 11 hits in a 9-3 victory that kept the season alive.

The intrigue: Cleveland now has a chance to become just the 11th team in MLB history to win a best-of-five postseason series after losing the first two games.

What's next: The winner advances to face the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALCS, which begins Monday in Florida.

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Guardians force winner-take-all Game 5 in Cleveland

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