We're Going Back To Cleveland: 3 Takeaways From Guardians' Game 4 Win Over White Sox

Twice the Guardians stood on the brink of elimination, and twice they refused to blink.

On the road, Cleveland responded in front of a loud, hostile crowd at Rate Field by remembering what it most excels at: Guardsball.

In a back-and-forth affair, the Guardians stayed gritty and passed the baton all night despite an unexpected short outing from their ace, needing a total of eight pitchers to force the American League Division Series back to Cleveland.

Now the series is tied at 2-2, and everything will come down to Game 5 on Saturday night at Progressive Field.

The winner will play a well-rested and dominant Tampa Bay Rays team in the AL Championship Series.

The loser will have a long winter ahead of them to ruminate over all that went wrong.

It might not be Game 7, but Saturday’s Game 5 will be, no doubt, just as nerve-wracking.

Here are my takeaways from Game 4: The White Sox were reeling from a painful fifth inning that saw the Guardians hit two home runs to take a lead, one from pinch-hitter Patrick Bailey and the other, a two-run shot, from de facto team captain José Ramírez.

Even though Chicago took the lead back in the bottom of the fifth, the Guardians' offense was just getting started.

Cleveland saw three Chicago relievers in the massive top of the sixth inning, which changed the outlook of the game and kept its season from ending.

A total lack of command, which plagued both teams on Thursday, sparked the Guardians’ comeback when left-hander Anthony Kay hit Angel Martinez with a pitch.

Smelling blood, Cleveland continued to tack on.

Second baseman Travis Bazzana collected an RBI double to tie the game at 4-4.

Then, White Sox right-hander Grant Taylor jogged in from the bullpen to relieve Kay.