White Sox Take ALDS Series Lead After Guardians Offense Falls Flat.

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Guardians had their opportunities Saturday afternoon, but one big swing from Chicago’s Munetaka Murakami and a dominant performance from the White Sox pitching staff proved to be the difference.

Chicago blanked Cleveland 3-0 in Game 1 of the American League Division Series at Progressive Field, taking a 1-0 advantage in the best-of-five series.

For Cleveland, it was a frustrating afternoon offensively. The Guardians managed only three hits while striking out 12 times against five different Chicago pitchers. Cleveland had opportunities with runners on base but went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and stranded eight.

The biggest missed opportunity came in the bottom of the third.

Chicago starter Hagen Smith retired the first eight Guardians he faced before suddenly losing command, walking three consecutive hitters to load the bases. White Sox manager Will Venable went to his bullpen, bringing in Bryan Hudson to face Chase DeLauter. Hudson escaped the jam by getting DeLauter to fly out, keeping the game scoreless.

Cleveland would quickly pay for not taking advantage.

Miguel Vargas opened the fourth inning with a single off Guardians starter Parker Messick. Murakami then stepped to the plate and changed the game with one swing.

Murakami jumped on Messick’s first pitch, an elevated sinker, and launched it 440 feet into the right-field seats. The ball left his bat at 112.2 mph, giving Chicago a 2-0 advantage and delivering Murakami his first career postseason home run.

“I really wanted the first home run at a very important game,” Murakami said through interpreter Kenzo Yagi. “So, I’m just really happy that I got one off.”

Murakami had already singled in his first at-bat, something he said helped him feel comfortable when he came back to the plate against Messick.

“In the first at-bat, I had a very clean hit. So I was very comfortable going to that at-bat,” Murakami said. “I swung really clean.”

Murakami even provided a lighthearted moment after the game. Asked what he yelled toward the White Sox dugout immediately after crushing the home run, the Japanese star smiled.

“I can’t really explain it in words right now but it was something a little bit dirty,” Murakami said through his interpreter.

Messick otherwise battled through a respectable postseason start. The rookie left-hander allowed two runs on four hits over 4⅓ innings, striking out six and walking two. Unfortunately for Cleveland, the offense provided him no margin for error.

The Guardians had another chance in the fourth. Nathaniel Lowe walked with two outs before Travis Bazzana doubled, and Austin Hedges followed with another walk to load the bases. But Bryan Rocchio flew out to right field, ending another Cleveland threat without a run.

Chicago added insurance in the seventh when Colson Montgomery doubled down the left-field line to bring home Kyle Teel. Cleveland appeared to have a chance to cut Teel down at the plate, but Hedges was unable to hold onto the throw following Teel’s slide, making it 3-0.

From there, Grant Taylor slammed the door.

Taylor delivered four scoreless innings to earn the save, allowing just two hits while striking out six. Chicago’s bullpen-heavy strategy worked nearly perfectly as five White Sox pitchers combined to hold Cleveland to three hits.

One of the most difficult afternoons belonged to Jo Adell, who struck out in all four of his plate appearances.

“I was definitely in a blender today, getting different looks every time up from a different pitcher,” Adell said. “We were trying to find it all day. Postseason is a pitcher’s duel and it’s one of those things. We’ve got to bounce back.”

For the Guardians, that bounce back will have to come quickly.

Cleveland won the AL Central by one game over Chicago during the regular season, but the White Sox have now taken the early advantage in October. The Guardians will have Sunday to regroup before Game 2 Monday at Progressive Field.

The biggest adjustment is obvious: Cleveland has to capitalize when opportunities arise. The Guardians put runners on base and twice loaded the bases Saturday, but couldn’t produce the hit that changed the game. Chicago did.

Murakami got one pitch to hit in the fourth inning.

And with one thunderous swing, he changed the complexion of Game 1 — and gjave the White Sox the early advantage in the ALDS.