Murakami’s 2-run homer sparks White Sox to 3-0 win in Game 1 of AL Division Series vs. Guardians

CLEVELAND (AP) — Munetaka Murakami really wanted to get the first run for the Chicago White Sox in a postseason game.

The Japanese power-hitter delivered that with a two-run homer as the White Sox defeated the Cleveland Guardians 3-0 on Saturday in an AL Division Series opener.

“That’s what playoff baseball is about, is your big dogs going out there and making big plays,” manager Will Venable said. “Mune is the guy in the middle of the lineup that’s been doing it all year for us. Long ball is part of our game specifically with Mune. Obviously a huge swing right there especially after we had just gotten out of a tough jam there. So really well timed homer. We needed it.”

The White Sox struck quickly after they prevented the Guardians from scoring with the bases loaded in the third inning.

Miguel Vargas lined a base hit leading off the fourth. One pitch later, Murakami drove an elevated sinker 440 feet into the right-field stands for his first postseason home run.

The 26-year old Murakami, among eight rookies on the White Sox postseason roster, paused for a couple seconds to bask in the towering shot, which the Japanese announcers called “priceless two-run blast,” before tossing his bat and turning to the dugout to celebrate with teammates.

“I can’t really explain it in words right now but it was something a little bit dirty," said Murakami through an interpreter when asked what he yelled to the dugout.

Murakami, who signed a $34 million, two-year deal in December as the White Sox incurred a $6,575,000 posting fee to the Yakult Swallows, had 35 homers and 75 RBIs during the regular season. But he was 1 of 8 during the Wild Card Series sweep of Houston.

He went 3 for 19 against Cleveland during the regular season, but one of those hits was a home run off Parker Messick. Murakami got some confidence during the second inning with a base hit to center.

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

Messick said the pitch was on the inner half of the plate but he thought Murakami was sitting on it. Cleveland catcher Austin Hedges also thought it was a good pitch but a better swing by Murakami.

“He’s just a stud. He can hit a home run every pitch in every spot. So you got to keep him off balance as best you can," Hedges said. "Man, he’s fun to watch hit, just not when he’s playing against us.”

Chicago has won nine of 11 dating to the regular season. Murakami said the White Sox might be playing their best baseball now as they prepare for Game 2 on Monday.

“If you score one run, I have so much confidence that we can win the game, which is really good,” he said. “The first game in the series is essential, very important. And I’m just really happy that we pulled this off. It really defines the outcome to the series. So we’ll get the one-day rest tomorrow. We’ll come back rested, and then we’ll focus on winning.”

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami, right, sits with interpreter Kenzo Yagi, left, during a postgame news conference after a win over the Cleveland Guardians in Game 1 of baseball's American League Division Series, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tim Phillis)

Chicago White Sox's Munetaka Murakami celebrates in the dugout after hitting a two-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the fourth inning in Game 1 of baseball's American League Division Series, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Chicago White Sox's Munetaka Murakami runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the fourth inning in Game 1 of baseball's American League Division Series, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tim Phillis)

Chicago White Sox's Munetaka Murakami tosses his bat after hitting a two-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the fourth inning in Game 1 of baseball's American League Division Series, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Chicago White Sox's Munetaka Murakami reacts after hitting a two-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the fourth inning in Game 1 of baseball's American League Division Series, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

An air ambulance carrying six people may have been “coming in blind” with electrical problems when a storm loomed ahead of it early Saturday shortly before it vanished in the waters off Nantucket.

The pilot reported electrical problems and declared an emergency as it approached the coast on the flight from Bermuda, according to air traffic control audio posted by LiveATC.net. “Roger, you said you’re coming in blind. Is that what you said?” a controller can be heard asking the pilot.

That makes Mary Schiavo, who is a former Inspector General of the Transportation Department, think the plane may have lost its navigational instruments just as a storm moved across its path on radar. The plane also descended sharply from its cruising altitude of around 24,000 feet to around 10,000 feet, according to preliminary data from flight tracking site FlightRadar24.

“Something bad happened with this big drop, and they flew into this big storm. It’s a terrible place to have a loss of your instruments and be flying blind,” said Schiavo, who is an aviation attorney. “It’s very easy to get disoriented and not know if you’re turning, climbing, descending, etc. Spatial orientation hits pretty quickly.”

The Canadian-registered air ambulance jet had four crew members and two passengers aboard when it departed Bermuda’s L.F. Wade International Airport overnight for the flight to Massachusetts, according to a statement from the Bermuda airport's operator, Skyport.

Four of the six people on board the flight that went missing early Saturday were Canadian nationals, the country’s Minister of Transport Steven MacKinnon said on X. Transport Canada is closely monitoring and working with authorities on search and rescue efforts, he said.

The Coast Guard said the Federal Aviation Administration reported that the Gulfstream G100 had lost contact very early Saturday morning. The search for the jet included crews in the air and on the water, the Coast Guard said.

The National Transportation Safety Board said it was gathering information about the situation Saturday, but did not say immediately if it would investigate.

FILE - A U.S. Coast Guard cutter is seen in New York on May 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)