Andrés Giménez’s two-run shot sends Guardians to victory over White Sox

Andrés Giménez wanted to bunt.

With a runner on first base and no one out in the fifth inning of a tie game, both of Giménez’s bunt attempts went foul, forcing him to swing the bat. And swing it he did, crushing a go-ahead homer to plate a pair of runs and give the Cleveland Guardians a 4-2 lead.

Giménez also slugged a pair of doubles to go along with his game-winning two-run shot, marking the first time in his career he has had three extra-base hits in one game.

The Guardians were able to play from in front thanks to an RBI single up the middle by Jose Ramirez in the first inning, capitalizing on Giménez’s one-out double. In the second inning, Myles Straw reached on an infield single with two outs. He proceeded to steal second base and was even able to take third on an errant throw by catcher Yasmani Grandal. Straw eventually scored on a wild pitch from White Sox starting pitcher Mike Clevinger to make it a 2-0 lead.

Cleveland starting pitcher Logan Allen had to work around four hits and four walks to navigate six innings. He seemed to be on the verge of unraveling in the third inning. The first five batters all reached base, including a bases loaded walk to tie the game at 2-2. But Allen struck out Luis Robert and Andrew Vaughn before getting Yoan Moncada to ground out to end the inning.

Brayan Rocchio hit a leadoff double in the fourth inning until the Replay Command Center in New York got involved. After Rocchio slid safely into second, Tim Anderson used his glove to push Rocchio’s hand off the base. The umpire — mere inches from the play — was having none of it and made the correct call, ruling him safe. But Chicago manager Pedro Grifol, betting on the incompetence of the replay review crew, challenged the play. The call was inexplicably overturned, prompting an on-field tirade from manager Terry Francona that resulted in his ejection.

It was later speculated on the broadcast that the primary target of Francona’s ire was third base umpire Malachi Moore. Moore was the umpire who made the call on the field. Even though he ruled Rocchio safe, he did not signal that Rocchio had been pushed off the bag. Had he done so, the play would not have been reviewable. So the play never should have been in the clumsy hands of the Replay Command Center to begin with.

Defensively, the Guardians had a good game. They turned three double plays, and Will Brennan had a pair of sliding catches in right field with runners on base.

Enyel De Los Santos, Trevor Stephan, and Emmanuel Clase pitched the final three innings.