Guardians in serious trouble as Rays move one win away from World Series

Guardians in serious trouble as Rays move one win away from World Series originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Tampa Bay Rays are one victory away from returning to the World Series after defeating the Cleveland Guardians 3-1 in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series on Sunday night at Progressive Field.

Behind another outstanding pitching performance from Drew Rasmussen, Tampa Bay grabbed a 3-2 series lead and now has an opportunity to secure its first American League pennant since 2020.

Rasmussen delivered when the Rays needed him most, allowing just one run on four hits across seven innings. The right-hander struck out six batters and walked one, earning his second postseason victory.

Tampa Bay's offense wasted little time applying pressure.

The Rays opened the scoring in the first inning when Cleveland starter Parker Messick issued a bases-loaded walk. Jonathan Aranda followed with an RBI single in the second inning, extending Tampa Bay's advantage to 2-0.

Liam Hicks added another run in the third with an RBI single, giving Rasmussen a comfortable three-run cushion.

Cleveland finally broke through in the sixth inning, but the Guardians couldn't generate enough offense to overcome Tampa Bay's pitching and defensive execution.

Can Cleveland Avoid Elimination?

The Guardians now face elimination as the series shifts back to Tropicana Field for Game 6 on Monday night.

Despite Sunday's disappointing performance, Cleveland has already demonstrated its ability to overcome postseason adversity. The Guardians rallied from a 2-0 deficit against the Chicago White Sox in the American League Division Series.

However, overcoming Tampa Bay will require a significantly better offensive performance.

The Rays have relied on timely hitting, outstanding defense and disciplined pitching throughout the postseason, a combination that has them positioned for another championship opportunity.

History also favors Tampa Bay. Teams winning Game 5 on the road after a 2-2 tie have captured 75% of those series under the current postseason format.

Game 6 is scheduled for Monday at 8 p.m. ET, with Tampa Bay looking to advance to face the Milwaukee Brewers in the World Series.