Guardians walk off White Sox 7–6 and close within a half-game.

The Cleveland Guardians beat the Chicago White Sox 7–6 on Tuesday, 15 September, at Progressive Field on Brayan Rocchio’s two-run double with two outs in the ninth, Reuters (Field Level Media), ESPN, and CBS Sports (AP) reported. Cleveland’s record after the win stood at 77–75, a half-game behind the first-place White Sox at 77–74 in the American League Central. Cade Smith (6-1) earned the win.

Rocchio’s walk-off is on all three wires. With runners at second and third, Rocchio hit a fly toward the left-field corner off Grant Taylor (7-3) that eluded a diving try by outfielder Sam Antonacci, ESPN and AP said. When the ball hit the turf, Rocchio flung his helmet and Cleveland’s dugout emptied onto the field. Reuters FLM said Nathaniel Lowe singled to begin the ninth and Patrick Bailey walked two batters later; after Petey Halpin grounded out, Rocchio plated a pair of pinch runners — Daniel Schneemann and David Fry on the ESPN/CBS score sequence — to end the game. ESPN framed it as Rocchio’s major-league-best fourth walk-off hit this season, all against AL Central foes, including a prior walk-off against Taylor in July.

Jo Adell hit a two-run home run in the first and rookie Travis Bazzana followed with the first of his two solo shots, Reuters FLM and ESPN reported. Steven Kwan walked to lead off before Adell deposited a 1-1 changeup from Chris Murphy over the center-field wall — Adell’s 22nd homer, measured at 442 feet on ESPN/AP. Bazzana then sent a 1-2 slider from Murphy over the wall in right-center. The Guardians led 3–0 after the first on those cards.

Chicago clawed back. Antonacci had an RBI single in the fourth and Miguel Vargas a sacrifice fly in the fifth to bring the White Sox within a run, Reuters said. Rocchio scored on a throwing error in the fifth after Davis Martin’s unsuccessful pickoff attempt at first allowed him to scramble home from third, forging a 4–2 Cleveland lead on that FLM account. In the sixth, Chicago loaded the bases against Craig Yoho; Hunter Gaddis relieved and surrendered an RBI single to Chase Meidroth and a sacrifice fly to Randal Grichuk to tie the game 4–4, then Vargas ripped a two-run single to left scoring Tristan Peters and Meidroth for a White Sox lead. Bazzana halved the deficit with his second solo homer, a 2-0 sinker from Martin over the center-field wall in the bottom of the sixth, Reuters reported.

Smith threw 1⅔ perfect innings on 16 pitches for the win and should be available Wednesday, ESPN said. Taylor permitted two runs on two hits in 1⅔ innings in the loss. The teams were scheduled to play the season-series finale Wednesday at Progressive Field on the ESPN frame. ESPN noted the White Sox have held at least a share of first since July 4 after losing at least 100 games in each of the past three seasons.

Adell was acquired at the trade deadline to add power, ESPN and AP noted; Tuesday’s first-inning drive was his fifth homer as a Guardian on the CBS box line that also listed Bazzana with two home runs and Rocchio with a double and two RBIs. ESPN’s recap said fans chanted Rocchio’s name when he came to the plate in the ninth. Teammate Travis Bazzana, quoted on ESPN, said Rocchio “thrives in that moment” and is “so in control.” Those are published quotes on the ESPN story, not desk color.

Named actors locked to the wires: Rocchio (two-run double, ninth, two outs); Adell (two-run HR, 442 ft); Bazzana (two solo HRs); Smith (6-1 W); Taylor (7-3 L); Lowe, Bailey, Schneemann, Fry, Antonacci, Vargas, Meidroth, Grichuk, Kwan, Murphy, Martin, Yoho, Gaddis. The desk does not invent October seeding beyond the published half-game gap. The checkable record is 7–6 at Progressive Field, Rocchio’s walk-off double, Adell’s two-run shot, Bazzana’s two solos, CLE 77–75 and CHW 77–74, and Smith’s sixth win.

What comes next is checkable: the Guardians–White Sox series finale Wednesday at Progressive Field; published AL Central standings with Cleveland a half-game behind Chicago; Tuesday’s box on ESPN/Reuters/CBS.

Floor: Guardians 7–6 White Sox walk-off at Progressive Field; Rocchio 2-run double 9th two outs; Adell 2-run HR; Bazzana two solo HRs; CLE 77–75, ½ behind CHW 77–74; Cade Smith 6-1 W.