CLEVELAND (AP) — José Ramírez followed one of the worst seasons of his 14-year major league career, with a postseason power surge.
The All-Star third baseman helped propel Cleveland into its third AL Championship Series since 2016 with an improbable two-run homer in the fourth inning of the Guardians' 2-0 victory over the Chicago White Sox in Game 5 of thei4 AL Division Series.
“With the way he performed the last two, you could tell he’s just like, ‘I got you.’ He put us on his back one more time,” manager Stephen Vogt said.
Ramírez batted .235 during the regular season, the second-lowest average of his career, and missed 30 games in June and July after surgery to repair the broken hamate bone in his left hand.
Even after returning, Ramírez was still having problems with the hand and sat out some games due to inflammation.
During the last two weeks of the regular season, Ramírez's bat was beginning to show signs of life. He had multi-hit games in five of his last nine and was 12 for 38.
After going 0 for 6 with three strikeouts the first two games of the series, Ramírez went 5 for 12 with two homers and seven RBIs in the last three. He had two-run homers in the last two games and made a series of key defensive plays in the two games at Chicago.
“It’s just like we always talk about. He’s one swing away from getting it going and I think every ball he put in play was hard the last three games and that’s just who he is,” Vogt said. “You don’t ever count him out. You don’t ever worry about him. He’s going to show up when we need him.”
Ramírez's defense wasn't needed on Saturday night. Guardians pitchers struck out 21 strikeouts, the most in a nine-inning postseason game. He didn't record a put out on the nine balls the White Sox put in play.
Even though the home run pitch was below the strike zone, it was just what Ramírez was looking for.
“We’ve faced him a couple of times. So we know he has a really good curveball. I was able to get my legs and get a good contact,” Ramírez said through an interpreter.
Players in the Guardians dugout thought Ramírez would at least have a double, but the ball just got over the wall near the right-field line. His sixth career postseason home run tied Albert Belle for third-most in franchise history.
Ramírez homered on a pitch by Sean Burke 0.74 feet above ground, the lowest pitch hit for a postseason home run since tracking started in 2008, according to MLB Statcast.
“Obviously, it came down to one pitch to Ramirez. He’s a really good player. He’s probably going to be in the Hall of Fame some day," Burke said. “But it’s frustrating.”
Ramírez admitted his focus may have been heightened.
“These games you want to do your best because it’s do or die. You don’t win, you go home, and this team really wants to do the right things, and for me, that’s the thing,” he said.
Ramírez hopes to keep his offense going in the AL Championship Series against Tampa Bay, which opens Monday.
Ramírez went 3 for 20 in five games against the Rays this season. He has a career .252 average against the Reya with eight home runs and 28 RBIs.
“José is José. We all love him," Cleveland starter Gavin Williams said. "He always has that one moment all the time. We know what he’s going to do.”
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