Brayan Rocchio hits 2-run homer in 9th to lift Guardians over White Sox 6-5 in AL Central showdown

CLEVELAND (AP) — Brayan Rocchio hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning that gave the Cleveland Guardians a 6-5 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series between the top two teams in the AL Central.

Cleveland (46-42) rallied from a three-run deficit and trails Chicago (45-41) by less than a full percentage point atop the division standings.

Pinch-hitter David Fry launched a solo homer in the seventh that trimmed the Guardians' deficit to 5-4.

White Sox reliever Grant Taylor (4-2) walked Rhys Hoskins leading off the ninth. Kahlil Watson flied out to center before Rocchio pulled a 99 mph fastball down the right-field line for his sixth home run this season.

Tim Herrin (1-3) pitched a perfect inning for the win.

Travis Bazzana hit an RBI double and Rocchio drew a bases-loaded walk in the third to give Cleveland a 2-0 lead.

Sam Antonacci delivered an RBI double and scored on Kyle Teel's two-run double to put Chicago ahead 3-2 in the fifth.

Braden Montgomery doubled leading off the sixth and Chase Meidroth's two-run homer made it 5-2, chasing Guardians starter Slade Cecconi.

Daniel Espino, Shawn Armstrong and Herrin combined to allow one hit in four innings of scoreless relief.

Cleveland loaded the bases against reliever Sean Newcomb in the sixth and cut it to 5-3 on an RBI groundout by Chase DeLauter.

Fry connected off Brandon Eisert in the seventh for his second pinch-hit homer this year.

White Sox starter Davis Martin gave up two runs and six hits in 3 1/3 innings without striking out a batter. He walked five and threw only 37 of his 73 pitches for strikes.

White Sox LHP Anthony Kay (6-3, 4.50 ERA) faces Guardians RHP Gavin Williams (9-4, 3.81) on Friday night.

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Cleveland Guardians' David Fry watches his home run in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Cleveland, Thursday, July 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Chicago White Sox's Colson Montgomery (12) tosses his bat after striking out in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Cleveland, Thursday, July 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians' Brayan Rocchio, second from right, is mobbed by teammates as he runs to home plate after hitting a game winning home rum in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Cleveland, Thursday, July 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians' Brayan Rocchio celebrates as he runs the bases after hitting a game winning home run in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Cleveland, Thursday, July 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians' Brayan Rocchio watches his game winning home run in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Cleveland, Thursday, July 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cleveland Guardians' Brayan Rocchio hits a game winning home run in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Cleveland, Thursday, July 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

ATLANTA (AP) — Jordan Walker homered and drove in four runs, Nathan Church hit a tying two-run homer in a seven-run seventh inning and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Atlanta Braves 11-5 on Thursday night.

The Braves led 5-3 before the Cardinals rallied in the seventh. After Church's homer off Tyler Kinley (4-3), JJ Wetherholt's run-scoring single off Dylan Lee gave St. Louis the lead. Walker added a run-scoring single in the big inning.

Alec Burleson homered in the ninth and Masyn Winn had three hits and a walk for St. Louis.

Right-hander Gordon Graceffo (6-1) pitched a scoreless sixth as St. Louis won two of three in the series. The Cardinals gave manager Oliver Marmol a win on his 40th birthday.

Dominic Smith drove in three runs with a double in Atlanta's five-run first inning.

Smith's liner bounced of St. Louis right-hander Dustin May's right ankle and down the right-field line. May gave up two more singles before leaving the game. He allowed five runs while recording only two outs.

The Cardinals said May suffered a contusion to his ankle.

Braves right-hander Hurston Waldrep gave up a three-run home run to Walker in the first inning and allowed three runs in 5 1/3 innings in his first major league start since last September against Washington. Waldrep missed the start of the season while recovering from surgery to remove loose bodies from his right elbow.

Atlanta shortstop Jim Jarvis had one hit following his recall from Triple-A Gwinnett, Veteran first baseman Rowdy Tellez was designated for assignment.

Cardinals: RHP Andre Pallante (9-5, 3.83 ERA) was scheduled to start when St. Louis opens a weekend series at the Chicago Cubs on Friday.

Braves: Atlanta opens a four-game home series against the New York Mets. RHP Grant Holmes (4-4, 3.96) was scheduled to face Mets RHP Christian Scott (2-0, 3.20).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Atlanta Braves' Mauricio Dubón rounds second base in the first inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Thursday, July 2, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

Atlanta Braves pitcher Hurston Waldrep delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Thursday, July 2, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

St. Louis Cardinals' Jordan Walker, right, reacts after hitting a three-run home run against Atlanta Braves pitcher Hurston Waldrep in the first inning of a baseball game, Thursday, July 2, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Dustin May (3) delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Thursday, July 2, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

St. Louis Cardinals' Jordan Walker, center, reacts with Iván Herrera (48) and JJ Wetherholt (26) after hitting a three-run home run in the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Thursday, July 2, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)