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White Sox one win away from ALCS, could clinch at home for first time in 120 years
A packed Rate Field could witness something White Sox fans have not seen in 120 years.
CHICAGO - A generation of White Sox fans could witness something Wednesday that has not happened on the South Side in 120 years.
White Sox near ALCS
The White Sox are one win away from advancing to the American League Championship Series after beating Cleveland again Tuesday night.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 05: Braden Montgomery #24 celebrates with Chase Meidroth #10 after defeating the Cleveland Guardians in game two of the American League Division Series at Progressive Field on October 05, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by N
The victory gave Chicago a two-games-to-none lead in the division series and brought the team home with a chance to finish the series at Rate Field.
The White Sox have not clinched a playoff series at home since 1906. Even the 2005 World Series team clinched all three of its postseason series on the road.
Wednesday’s game will also give the Sox a chance to reach the ALCS for the first time since 2005.
The comeback
Chicago is now 4-0 this postseason, with all four wins coming on the road.
The Sox trailed for the first time this postseason Tuesday before rallying in the sixth inning.
Rookie Braden Montgomery, batting from the right side where he struggled during the regular season, delivered a two-out, two-run double to give Chicago the lead.
Chase Meidroth followed with an RBI single that provided the winning run.
What they're saying:
Manager Will Venable said Montgomery has earned the team’s trust by continuing to work through difficult moments.
"He's a guy that is not going to shy away from the moment," Venable said. "First of all, I mentioned how hard he works. He puts himself in a good spot, and he's a really dynamic player."
"And so, as you're evaluating your best nine on a given day, you know it's not just what happens at the plate. It's defensive ability. It's base running. It's really everything. And also at the same time, you know what we have in Grich [Randal Grichuk] as a bullet off the bench, and how valuable that is. You know, it all culminates into, you know, trust in the player and really again putting the nine best guys out there."
What's next:
The White Sox return to the South Side with a chance to advance in front of their home fans.
The team is coming off three straight seasons with at least 100 losses but is now one win away from the ALCS.
Wednesday’s game will be a blackout at Rate Field. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
The Source: The information in this story came from the Chicago White Sox and postgame comments from manager Will Venable.