Montgomery flips Game 2. White Sox take a 2-0 ALDS lead.

The Chicago White Sox are one win from the American League Championship Series. They beat the Cleveland Guardians 4-3 on Monday, taking a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five ALDS after turning a two-run deficit into a three-run sixth inning. Cleveland now has to win three straight. Chicago needs one.

Cleveland's first-inning pressure produced two runs on a throwing error by Sean Newcomb. The White Sox cut the lead in half when Munetaka Murakami singled home Kyle Teel in the fourth, but Chicago still entered the sixth trailing 2-1. That was when Braden Montgomery changed the night.

Two outs, then the game changed

Miguel Vargas opened the sixth with a single. Randal Grichuk walked, and two outs later Montgomery lined a double to right that scored both runners. Chase Meidroth followed with an RBI single to bring Montgomery home. In the space of two consecutive two-out hits, a 2-1 deficit became a 4-2 lead.

The hit belongs to Montgomery, but the inning was built before he reached the box. Vargas started it. Grichuk kept it moving. Tommy Pham's flyout left Chicago with one chance to cash in. Montgomery did more than keep the inning alive. He put the White Sox in front, then scored the run that became the difference.

Chicago answered Cleveland's last push

Cleveland made it uncomfortable in the eighth. Chase DeLauter singled and Jo Adell tripled him home, cutting the lead to 4-3. Grant Taylor stopped the inning there, then retired the Guardians in order in the ninth for the save. Sean Burke earned the win after allowing one run and one hit over 5 1/3 innings with six strikeouts.

Chicago won Game 1 with pitching and two decisive extra-base hits. Game 2 demanded a comeback, a two-out rally and one final answer from the bullpen. The White Sox found all three. Game 3 is Wednesday in Chicago, where the Guardians will play to extend their season and the White Sox will play to end the series.