The Cleveland Guardians erased a two-run deficit and walked off the Chicago White Sox 7-6 at Progressive Field on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, with Travis Bazzana delivering the decisive blow in the ninth inning. Bazzana went 2-for-4 with two home runs and two RBI on the night, providing the offensive spine of a come-from-behind divisional win that required every last out to secure. Cade Smith earned the win with 1.2 scoreless innings, and Grant Taylor absorbed the loss for Chicago after surrendering the winning runs in the bottom of the ninth.

Bazzana Powers Cleveland's Comeback With Two-Homer Night

Bazzana was the story from first pitch to last. The young infielder went deep twice, accounting for two of Cleveland's seven runs on a night when the Guardians needed every one of them. His two-hit, two-RBI performance drove the offense when it mattered most and gave Progressive Field a finish worth remembering. Jo Adell contributed as well, going 1-for-4 with a home run and two RBI of his own, giving Cleveland back-to-back threats in the middle of the lineup that kept the pressure on Chicago's pitching staff all night.

Nathaniel Lowe added a 2-for-4 performance at the plate, and Brayan Rocchio went 2-for-3 with two RBI, providing Cleveland with consistent production across the lineup. The Guardians collected seven runs on what the boxscore confirms was a full team effort — four different home batters drove in runs, a sign of lineup depth that proved essential against a White Sox bullpen that ultimately couldn't hold the lead.

Bullpen Chaos Defines the Middle Innings

The pitching side of this game was far from clean for Cleveland. Starter Foster Griffin worked four innings, striking out five and allowing two earned runs on five hits and two walks — a workmanlike outing that kept the Guardians in the game but left the bullpen with heavy lifting. Erik Sabrowski followed with a clean inning — two strikeouts, no hits, no earned runs — and looked like the bridge Cleveland needed.

Then Craig Yoho ran into serious trouble. In just a third of an inning, Yoho allowed three earned runs on one hit and two walks, turning a manageable situation into a genuine crisis and handing Chicago what looked like a comfortable cushion. Hunter Gaddis came on and allowed one more earned run over a full inning before Tim Herrin settled things down — two strikeouts, no hits in a scoreless frame. Cade Smith closed it out with 1.2 innings of shutdown relief, striking out one and allowing nothing, setting the table for the Guardians' walk-off rally against Taylor in the ninth.

White Sox Kept It Competitive Behind Vargas and Meidroth

Chicago made Cleveland earn every run. Miguel Vargas went 1-for-3 with three RBI, doing the most damage among White Sox hitters. Chase Meidroth went 2-for-5 with an RBI, Sam Antonacci added a 2-for-4 night with one RBI, and Brenton Doyle went 2-for-3. The White Sox collected a total of seven hits on the night and put together enough offense to lead late — which made the Guardians' comeback all the more meaningful.

On the mound, Chris Murphy lasted just two-thirds of an inning and allowed three earned runs before Davis Martin steadied the ship with 5.1 innings of one-run ball. Bryan Hudson threw a scoreless inning, but Taylor couldn't close it out, surrendering two earned runs in 1.2 innings to take the loss.

Turning Point: The Ninth Inning at Progressive Field

The turning point was straightforward: Cleveland was trailing and needed runs with their last opportunity. The Guardians manufactured the deficit-erasing rally against Taylor, completing a two-run comeback and sending Progressive Field home satisfied. It was the kind of late-game execution that defines close divisional games, and Bazzana was at the center of it.

What's Next for the Guardians

  • Cleveland takes the series lead with the walk-off win over Chicago in this division matchup.
  • The bullpen's volatility — particularly Yoho's three earned runs in one-third of an inning — will be a point of focus heading into the next game.
  • Bazzana's two-homer night and Rocchio's two-RBI performance highlight a lineup with multiple reliable contributors.
  • Cade Smith's clutch outing in the ninth gives the coaching staff a reliable late-game option to build around.

The Guardians are back in action at Progressive Field as this series with the White Sox continues. Tuesday's win was messy in the middle and clean at the end — exactly the kind of result that keeps a team moving in the right direction during the final weeks of the regular season.