MLB Playoff Scores October 5, 2026: Rays, White Sox Take 2-0 Leads
Every MLB playoff score and recap from October 5, 2026, as Tampa Bay and Chicago moved within one victory of the league championship series.
A Tampa Bay Rays–Toronto Blue Jays game in Buffalo, New York. Photo by Steve DiMatteo via Unsplash; used under the Unsplash License.
Tampa Bay capitalized on four New York errors, while Chicago rallied past Cleveland as both winners moved within one victory of the league championship series.
The MLB playoff scores from October 5, 2026, left two American League clubs facing elimination. First, the Chicago White Sox overcame an early deficit to beat Cleveland. Later, the Tampa Bay Rays used a four-run fifth inning to pull away from the New York Yankees.
Below is an original capsule recap of every MLB game played Monday. Final scores, pitching decisions and series records were checked against MLB’s official October 5 scoreboard.
Chicago White Sox 4, Cleveland Guardians 3
Braden Montgomery hit a go-ahead, two-run double during Chicago’s three-run sixth inning as the White Sox rallied past Cleveland and took a 2-0 lead in the American League Division Series.
The Guardians moved ahead in the first when Nathaniel Lowe’s chopper brought home two runs. Gavin Williams then protected the lead with dominant stuff, striking out 11 and reaching 101.2 mph. However, Munetaka Murakami’s fourth-inning RBI single brought Chicago within one.
Next, Montgomery turned the game with his sixth-inning double against Erik Sabrowski. Chase Meidroth followed with an RBI single, extending the White Sox lead to 4-2.
Cleveland mounted one final threat when Jo Adell tripled home a run in the eighth. Nevertheless, Grant Taylor recorded the final four outs and secured his second save of the series. Consequently, Chicago moved within one victory of its first American League Championship Series appearance since 2005. MLB game story
Winning pitcher: Sean Burke (1-0)
Losing pitcher: Erik Sabrowski (0-1)
Save: Grant Taylor (2)
Tampa Bay Rays 5, New York Yankees 2
Richie Palacios capped a four-run fifth inning with a two-run single as Tampa Bay defeated New York and seized a 2-0 lead in the American League Division Series.
The Rays opened the scoring when Yandy Díaz came home on a first-inning throwing error. Ben Rice tied the game with a solo homer in the fourth, but Tampa Bay quickly regained control.
In the fifth, Liam Hicks delivered a run-scoring groundout before Chandler Simpson added an RBI fielder’s choice. Palacios then drove home two more runs, giving the Rays a 5-1 advantage. New York’s four errors compounded its problems throughout the afternoon.
Rice hit his second solo homer in the eighth and became the first Yankee with multiple multihomer games in one postseason. Still, Bryan Baker closed the game for his second save. As a result, Tampa Bay moved one win from the AL Championship Series. MLB game story
Winning pitcher: Cam Booser (1-0)
Losing pitcher: Cam Schlittler (1-1)
Save: Bryan Baker (2)
October 5 MLB Playoff Scores at a Glance
- Chicago White Sox 4, Cleveland Guardians 3
- Tampa Bay Rays 5, New York Yankees 2
