Guardians vs. White Sox Recap: Six-Run Sixth, Eight Props Cash

The Cleveland Guardians beat the Chicago White Sox 9-5 on Thursday night, staying alive in the series. Chicago led 4-3 after five innings before Cleveland scored six runs off the White Sox bullpen in the sixth, capped by a two-run single from Jo Adell. Patrick Bailey and Jose Ramirez both homered in the fifth. Eight DARIMARKET plays cashed on this game, most of them on the two starting pitchers.

What cashed

NRFI (no run 1st inning): CASHED - Our read: Messick had allowed 5 first-inning runs in 32 starts, and opener Hagen Smith carried a 1.29 ERA with a .117 opponent average. - What happened: Scoreless, but not quietly. Smith walked three in the top of the first and left with the bases loaded; Erick Fedde struck out Angel Martinez to end it. Messick worked around a walk in the bottom half with a strikeout of Munetaka Murakami. - Worth watching: First-inning walks are the risk with a wild opener. The bullpen behind him saved this one.

Hagen Smith under 5.5 outs (+117 at DraftKings): CASHED - Our read: Chicago planned to use Smith as a one-inning opener on zero rest after he threw 21 pitches in Game 3. - What happened: Smith recorded 2 outs on 27 pitches before Fedde took over. - Worth watching: Opener outs unders at plus money are worth a look when the role is confirmed.

Hagen Smith under 0.5 earned runs allowed (-217 at DraftKings): CASHED - Our read: Smith had allowed 4 earned runs in 28 innings this season and 1 in 6.1 postseason innings, facing about 4 hitters as an opener. - What happened: He faced five and walked three, but all three runners he left on base were stranded. 0 earned runs. - Worth watching: This one leaned on the reliever behind him. With an opener, check who is next.

Parker Messick under 2.5 earned runs allowed (-270 at DraftKings): CASHED - Our read: Messick (2.56 ERA) had allowed 2 or fewer earned runs in 25 of 32 regular-season starts, and Cleveland planned a short leash. - What happened: 2.1 innings, 2 hits, 2 earned runs, both in the third (a bases-loaded walk and a sacrifice fly). Cleveland pulled him at 65 pitches. - Worth watching: The short leash we flagged is what kept the earned runs capped.

Parker Messick 5+ strikeouts (-272 at DraftKings): CASHED - Our read: Messick hit 5+ in 25 of 33 starts and faced a White Sox lineup with heavy strikeout bats (Murakami had 196). - What happened: 5 strikeouts in 2.1 innings, right on the number before the hook. - Worth watching: He got there fast, but a short postseason leash makes this thinner than his season rate suggests.

Parker Messick under 6.5 hits allowed: CASHED - Our read: 6 or fewer hits in 29 of 33 starts, with a short postseason leash capping batters faced. - What happened: 2 hits allowed. - Worth watching: Hits unders pair well with a short leash. Fewer batters, fewer chances.

Chase Meidroth 1+ hits (-214 at DraftKings): CASHED - Our read: Meidroth led off against the lefty with a .350 average vs LHP this season and was 7-for-19 this postseason. - What happened: 1 hit in 4 at-bats, plus a walk and 2 runs scored. - Worth watching: Leadoff volume against lefties keeps this in play.

Chase DeLauter 1+ hits (-215 at DraftKings): CASHED - Our read: DeLauter batted 3rd with a .323 average vs LHP against lefty opener Hagen Smith. - What happened: 1 hit in 4 at-bats, an RBI single in the six-run sixth. - Worth watching: Third in the order guarantees at-bats. That carries a 1+ hits line.

How the game played out

Chicago went up 2-0 in the third. Bailey's solo shot and Ramirez's two-run homer put Cleveland ahead 3-2 in the fifth, and Chicago answered with two runs for a 4-3 lead. In the sixth, Travis Bazzana doubled in the tying run and Cleveland piled on: Bailey, Ramirez and DeLauter each drove in one and Adell two. Grant Taylor allowed four runs in the inning without recording an out. Chicago's only run after that was a Miguel Vargas homer in the ninth.

Trends to watch

• Cleveland used eight pitchers in an elimination game. In that spot, any starter strikeout or outs prop carries real leash risk.
• Openers who walk batters create first-inning risk even when no run scores. Check the walk rate, not just the ERA.
• Bailey went 2-for-3 with a homer and 2 RBI from the eighth spot.

Stats are from the ESPN box score. New to these markets? Read about the player prop and implied probability.