Rocchio shows Guards' fight with stunning walk-off HR in AL Central battle

CLEVELAND -- Brayan Rocchio stood in the left-handed batter’s box for a few moments, watching the fly ball he hit off Grant Taylor carry deep down the right-field line. The Guardians’ shortstop knew he had hit it well, but could not tell whether it would remain fair.

Rocchio didn’t have to wait too long. The drive clanged off the right-field foul pole, sending Progressive Field into a frenzy and the Guardians home with a memorable 6-5 comeback victory over the White Sox in the opener of a four-game series.

“We fight until the last out,” Rocchio said. “That's our identity, fighting to the last out.”

Thursday’s blast marked Rocchio’s second career walk-off homer, following Sept. 28 last season -- in Game 162 as Cleveland celebrated winning the AL Central division title. The latest rendition was eerily similar to that from last year; both were drives down the line that ended up off the foul pole.

Rocchio’s home run last season came with a much larger set of stakes, but this weekend’s four-game series between the Guardians and White Sox is significant in its own right. These two teams are now tied atop the AL Central division standings.

“There's a lot of season left,” Guardians utility man David Fry said. “We're gonna play these guys a lot more times. But at the end of the season, it usually comes to one or two games. If it's going to be between us and them, obviously every game is big.”

That’s certainly true given each of the four matchups between these teams this season have been decided by one run. These have been tight games, and Thursday seemed to be slipping away from the Guardians, who trailed 5-2 entering the bottom of the sixth.

Starter Slade Cecconi kept the White Sox off the board through four innings, before Chicago tagged him for three runs on four doubles in the fifth. He was sent back out for the sixth, when he allowed a leadoff double to Braden Montgomery and a home run to Chase Meidroth, which ended his night.

Manager Stephen Vogt noted given the state of the Guardians’ bullpen, they needed to push Cecconi for a few extra outs. It didn’t work out, and Daniel Espino entered in his place. He tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings on 35 pitches; it was his longest outing since April 29, 2022, with Double-A Akron.

Espino, Shawn Armstrong and Tim Herrin combined to toss four scoreless innings. In between, Fry provided some crucial heroics off the bench. The 430year-old belted a pinch-hit home run in the seventh that cut the Guardians’ deficit to one run.

Vogt had opportunities to use Fry earlier in the game. Chicago lefties Chris Murphy and Sean Newcomb pitched 2 2/3 innings in relief of starter Davis Martin, who lasted just 3 1/3 innings.

Once the seventh rolled around, Vogt knew his best opportunities to deploy Fry could be running out. The White Sox had right-handers Taylor and Seranthony Domínguez waiting for the final innings. He called Fry’s number, and he delivered.

“David's home run, I think, really just ignited the dugout,” Vogt said.

Rhys Hoskins drew a leadoff walk to open the ninth inning. Kahlil Watson flew out, bringing Rocchio to the plate to face Taylor. He delivered a first-pitch 99.3 mph four-seamer up and outside, and Rocchio jumped on it.

“He’s one of the toughest pitchers that I’ve faced, so I gotta be on the fastball every time,” Rocchio said. “He threw my pitch in that situation. I didn't miss it.”

Rocchio has been one of the Guardians’ best stories this season. This time last year, on July 1, Cleveland recalled him from Triple-A Columbus. He spent nearly two months with the Clippers after a May demotion.

Rocchio performed well in the second half of 2025, and he’s taken another step forward this season. His .269 average and .734 OPS each would be career-high marks, and that production has come with him as the Guardians starting shortstop.

Rocchio’s role has changed in the absence of José Ramírez (left hamate fracture) and Angel Martínez (non-displaced left foot fracture). That duo suffered injuries on June 13 that landed them on the injured list. So did Chase DeLauter, who has since returned.

Rocchio had found a home in the No. 9 spot in Cleveland’s lineup, but he has hit second, third, fifth and sixth without those offensive leaders.

“We've asked a lot of him, and he's handled it all wonderfully,” Vogt said.

There’s a long weekend ahead, but the Guardians got things off to a good start.

“We just need to keep building momentum and keep learning,” Vogt said. “This is a big win. Obviously, any divisional win is big.”