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Guardians seize AL Central lead with 6–3 win

By Drooid · Sep 17, 2026, 3:22 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Guardians Claim Lead

Cleveland Guardians claimed sole AL Central lead with a 6-3 win over the Chicago White Sox.
Petey Halpin hit a three-run homer in the sixth inning.
José Ramírez recorded two doubles, tying Nap Lajoie with 424 franchise hits.
The Guardians improved to 78-75, moving half-game ahead of the 77-75 White Sox.

Summary

Venable Defends Smith

Will Venable defended sending reliever Hagen Smith back in, citing his recent heavy workload.
Venable said the Sox hold the season-series tiebreaker over Cleveland, leading 7-6.
The victory reduced the Sox’s magic number to ten for the AL Central title.
Colson Montgomery left with a bruised left wrist; X-rays were negative and he is day-to-day.
Tommy Pham rejoined the lineup after being reinstated from the injured list on Wednesday.

History

Historical Context

In 1995, after a 41-year postseason drought, the Cleveland Indians surged to a 100-win, 30-game AL Central victory, the first AL team to reach 100 wins in a 144-game season, and advanced to the World Series. The franchise’s move to Jacobs Field and its high-powered lineup sparked a decade of division titles, a legacy the 2024 Guardians invoke when facing the White Sox.

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Guardians Claim Lead

Cleveland Guardians claimed sole AL Central lead with a 6-3 win over the Chicago White Sox.
Petey Halpin hit a three-run homer in the sixth inning.
José Ramírez recorded two doubles, tying Nap Lajoie with 424 franchise hits.
The Guardians improved to 78-75, moving half-game ahead of the 77-75 White Sox.

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