CHICAGO (Interstat) — The Chicago White Sox rallied from a two-run deficit in the bottom of the ninth inning Monday night at Guaranteed Rate Field, scoring twice to defeat the Cleveland Guardians 6-5 and move within one game of the American League Central lead.

The White Sox overcame a 5-4 deficit in their final at-bat when Sam Antonacci delivered a two-run single with two outs, capping a comeback that began with Anthony Kay’s dominant start. Kay, making his third start of the season, worked six shutout innings, allowing three hits while striking out eight and walking none. Cleveland starter Gavin Williams matched Kay through five innings, surrendering two runs on five hits with eight strikeouts, but the game turned into a battle of bullpens that ultimately favored Chicago.

Cleveland struck first in the top of the first, loading the bases on a walk, a single and a hit-by-pitch, but Kay escaped the jam by striking out Kyle Manzardo and Gabriel Arias. The White Sox broke through in the second when Chase Meidroth singled and Braden Montgomery doubled him home for a 1-0 lead. An inning later, Luisangel Acuña singled, Sam Antonacci walked and Miguel Vargas singled to load the bases, but Acuña was thrown out at the plate on a strong throw from center fielder Petey Halpin. Andrew Benintendi then singled to left, scoring Antonacci for a 2-0 edge.

Gavin Williams settled in after that, retiring nine of the next 10 batters he faced. Kay continued to cruise until the seventh, when Cleveland’s offense finally awakened. With Kay removed after six innings, Bryan Hudson entered and promptly walked Steven Kwan. Daniel Schneemann singled, and after a strikeout, Travis Bazzana walked to load the bases. Kahlil Watson, pinch-hitting, grounded a single to right that scored Kwan and Schneemann, tying the game 2-2. Brayan Rocchio struck out, but Rhys Hoskins lined a single to center that scored Bazzana and gave Cleveland a 3-2 lead. Hudson exited, and Chris Murphy struck out Manzardo to end the inning, but the Guardians had scored three times.

Chicago answered in the bottom of the seventh. Braden Montgomery led off with a double, moved to third on a flyout and scored on Antonacci’s single to right, cutting the deficit to 3-3. That remained the score until the ninth, when Cleveland struck again.

With Murphy still on the mound for Chicago, Travis Bazzana walked to lead off the top of the ninth. Patrick Bailey singled to right, scoring Bazzana to put Cleveland ahead 4-3. Brayan Rocchio doubled, sending Bailey to third. After a strikeout, Kyle Manzardo lifted a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Bailey and extending the lead to 5-3. Rocchio advanced to third on the play, but Arias struck out to end the inning.

Cleveland’s Cade Smith, who entered in the seventh, remained on the mound in the bottom of the ninth with a two-run lead. Smith had allowed one run on one hit in 1 2/3 innings, but the White Sox mounted a rally. Chase Meidroth flew out to start the inning, but Braden Montgomery walked. Tristan Peters doubled to left, putting runners at second and third. Jacob Gonzalez struck out for the second out, bringing up Antonacci.

Antonacci, who had already driven in a run, lined a single to center that scored Montgomery and Peters, giving Chicago a 6-5 walk-off victory. The hit capped a 2-for-4 night for Antonacci, who finished with three RBIs. Montgomery contributed two hits and scored two runs. Randal Grichuk hit a solo home run off Smith in the sixth, his eighth of the season, to give the White Sox a 3-2 lead at that point.

Chris Murphy earned the win after working 2/3 of a perfect ninth with one strikeout, improving to 2-0. Smith took the loss, falling to 2-1, after allowing two runs on two hits in his 1 2/3 innings of relief. Bryan Hudson struck out three in 1 1/3 scoreless innings for Chicago.

The White Sox improved to 40-37, while the Guardians fell to 41-38. Attendance was 23,151, and the game lasted 3 hours, 3 minutes.

Cleveland had entered the game having lost two of three in Houston over the weekend, while Chicago had lost three straight in Detroit. The two teams will meet again Tuesday and Wednesday at Guaranteed Rate Field before the Guardians return home for a six-game homestand that includes a series against the White Sox starting July 2.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Chicago White Sox 5, Cleveland Guardians 4, while the Interstat ELO system had given Cleveland a 55 percent probability to win. Cleveland was installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -1.5. The total of 11 runs went under the over/under line of 7.5.