Guardians clinch their third straight AL Central title — and a first-round bye
Cleveland beat Kansas City 11-5 on Saturday while the White Sox lost to Colorado, locking up a third straight division crown, the American League’s No. 2 seed, and a first-round bye.
The clinch: Patrick Bailey and Brayan Rocchio each hit two of Cleveland’s five home runs as the Guardians beat the Kansas City Royals 11-5 on Saturday night to clinch their third straight AL Central title, the Associated Press reported via CBS Sports.
Chicago’s 9-6 loss to Colorado sealed it. After Saturday’s games, the Guardians (85-76) held a two-game lead over the second-place White Sox (83-78) with one regular-season game left, AP reported.
Playoff path: Cleveland is assured the No. 2 seed in the American League and a first-round bye into a best-of-five Division Series. The Guardians get five days off, then home-field advantage against the winner of a best-of-three Wild Card Series between the No. 6 White Sox and either Houston or Texas — whichever wins the AL West on Sunday — according to CBS Sports/AP.
It is Cleveland’s seventh division crown in the past 11 seasons.
How they won Saturday: Kansas City scored three in the first off Tanner Bibee, but Cleveland answered with a four-run second. Bailey hooked a two-run homer off the right-field foul pole. After missing four games with a right wrist sprain, Chase DeLauter hit his 16th home run in the third. José Ramírez and company piled on; Bailey and Rocchio went back-to-back in a four-run ninth. Nine of Cleveland’s 14 hits went for extra bases, CBS Sports reported.
From six back to champs: Manager Stephen Vogt said the team was “on fumes.” The Guardians trailed the White Sox by six games on August 16, then won 25 of their next 36, including 15 of their final 21, AP reported via ABC News. “We’ll get some rest, this team was on fumes,” Vogt said after the clincher.
The celebration: After nearly an hour of champagne in the clubhouse, players spilled onto the tarp-covered Kauffman Stadium field for a rain-soaked slip-and-slide, ABC News/AP reported.
How this fits with Friday’s White Sox story: ReadingDlaw News covered Chicago’s playoff clinch on September 26. Saturday resolved the division race: Cleveland takes the Central and the bye; the White Sox drop into the Wild Card path.
What this means: Cleveland buys rest and home games in the ALDS. Chicago’s remarkable climb still ends in October baseball — just through the Wild Card round instead of as division champ.