CLEVELAND — The Chicago White Sox were twelve outs from history on Thursday night. Instead, they're playing for their playoff lives on Saturday.

Nursing a one-run lead at Rate Field, Chicago watched it evaporate when the Cleveland Guardians sent ten batters to the plate in the sixth inning and scored six times, turning a potential series-clinching win into a 9-5 Cleveland victory that forced a decisive Game 5. José Ramírez homered and drove in three runs for the Guardians, and pinch-hitter Patrick Bailey added a two-run shot of his own as Cleveland stormed back from an 0-2 series deficit to even things at 2-2.

A White Sox win Thursday would have delivered the franchise's first home postseason series-clinching victory since 1906 — and just the second in franchise history. Instead, both teams now travel to Progressive Field for a winner-take-all Game 5 on Saturday, with the winner punching a ticket to the American League Championship Series.

Who's Throwing

Cleveland is expected to hand the ball to right-hander Gavin Williams, who posted career highs with 248 strikeouts across 32 starts this season and has a 3.98 ERA against Chicago in four starts. The White Sox are leaning on Sean Burke, who beat the Guardians in a late-September meeting, allowing just one unearned run over five innings.

CLEVELAND SENT TEN MEN TO THE PLATE AND SCORED SIX TIMES — NO QUIT.

Whoever survives Saturday will face a Tampa Bay Rays club that is already resting after sweeping the New York Yankees in the ALDS, giving the winner of White Sox-Guardians a quick turnaround into the ALCS. For Chicago, a loss would mean another long winter weighed against a 120-year championship drought that still stings on the South Side. For Cleveland, advancing would complete one of the more dramatic comebacks of this postseason — a team that looked finished after falling behind 0-2 forcing, and then winning, a fifth game at home.

First pitch for Game 5 is set for Saturday evening at Progressive Field, with the loser's season ending on the spot.