Bo Naylor Sparks Guardians’ 3-2 Sweep of White Sox

The Cleveland Guardians kept their AL Central hopes alive with a tense 3–2 win over the Chicago White Sox, wrapping up a badly needed sweep at Progressive Field.

Bo Naylor broke out at the plate, Slade Cecconi delivered clutch pitching, and Brayan Rocchio made a highlight play to lock things down in the ninth.

This marked Cleveland’s first home sweep since April. They’re still chasing the division-leading Detroit Tigers, so every game feels like it matters a bit more right now.

Guardians Overcome Early White Sox Strike

Slade Cecconi, Cleveland’s young righty, started strong and didn’t allow a hit until the fourth inning. He looked locked in, but a missed strike call shifted the momentum, and Chicago broke through with an RBI double to strike first.

Bo Naylor Shines at the Plate

The Guardians didn’t let that early run get to them. In the bottom half, Steven Kwan walked, José Ramírez singled, and with two outs, Bo Naylor roped a two-run double into the gap.

Cleveland suddenly had the lead and a jolt of energy.

White Sox Battle Back, Guardians Respond

Chicago answered in the fifth. A solo homer barely cleared the wall, tying things up 2–2 and reminding everyone how quirky Progressive Field can be.

Cecconi didn’t unravel, though. He finished with this line:

• 5.2 innings pitched
• Three hits allowed
• Two earned runs
• One walk
• Four strikeouts

Lockdown Relief Corps

After Cecconi exited, the Guardians’ bullpen took over. Tim Herrin, Matt Festa, Hunter Gaddis, and Cade Smith combined for 3.1 scoreless innings.

Festa’s seventh inning stood out—he struck out the side, keeping the tie intact and the dugout buzzing.

Naylor’s Decisive Blast

Bo Naylor wasn’t done. Leading off the seventh, he crushed a solo homer to right, his second extra-base hit of the night.

That blast put Cleveland back on top, 3–2, and honestly, it felt like a statement from the young catcher.

Rocchio’s Defensive Gem Seals the Sweep

With the tying run on third and two outs in the ninth, Brayan Rocchio delivered. He sprawled for a tough grounder, popped up, and fired a dart across the diamond for the final out.

Cleveland’s one-run lead survived, and the sweep was official—talk about drama.

Impact on the AL Central Race

This sweep means more than just padding the win column. It’s a shot of confidence at a moment when the Guardians really need it.

The Tigers still sit 6.5 games ahead, but Cleveland isn’t out of it. With six head-to-head games left, the Guardians have a real shot to make things interesting down the stretch.

Key Takeaways for Guardians Fans

There were several positive signs from this series:

• Clutch hitting from Bo Naylor showed that Cleveland’s offense runs deeper than folks might think.
• Strong starting pitching from Cecconi set the tone early in these games.
• Flawless bullpen execution kept those narrow leads safe, even when things got tense.
• Elite defense made all the difference in the finale, and honestly, that’s going to matter a lot as the season winds down.

Playoff pressure is building by the day. The Guardians are mixing timely hits, sharp pitching, and rock-solid defense—just what you want to see as October creeps closer.

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Here is the source article for this story: White Sox 2 – Guardians 3: Bo Naylor and Strong Defense Earns Sweep