CLEVELAND — A lack of offense put the Guardians’ backs firmly against the wall against the Chicago White Sox in an American League Division Series before Jose Ramirez came to the rescue in three consecutive games.
Now in the AL Championship Series, an all-too-familiar — and all-too-unwelcome — lack of timely hitting has every ounce of the Guardians’ weight again on their heels, with nowhere else to go but forward or home.
The Guardians lost 3-1 to the Rays in Game 5 of the ALCS, giving Tampa Bay a 3-2 series lead and putting the Rays on the brink of a World Series berth. Trailing in the series for the first time, the Guardians travel to Tampa Bay (without the benefit of an off day to regroup after Game 4 was pushed back) for must-win Games 6 and 7.
They had to win three consecutive games to get to the ALCS. Now, they must again defy the odds and rally to win two connective road games to play the Milwaukee Brewers in the World Series.
“I think it’ll help a ton knowing we’re able to do it, facing elimination,” said outfielder Steven Kwan, who made two highlight reel defensive plays in Game 5 to save at least two runs. “I think we feel a little better on this one as opposed to the [ALDS] since we’ve got some wins under our belt.
"Just have to trust our plans, turn the page and see what happens tomorrow.”
Guardians stats in MLB playoffs
The Guardians again find themselves in a hole, and it is their own offense that acted as the shovel that got them there.
Down 2-0 in the ALDS, the Guardians rattled off back-to-back wins with nine runs. They then put together seven runs in an ALCS Game 1 win to take the series lead in Tampa Bay. But since Game 1 of this series, Cleveland hasn't scored more than three runs in any game.
They entered the weekend with a 2-1 series lead, scored only four runs from that point and then boarded a flight back to Tampa Bay down 3-2.
“We had ourselves in a really good position, and unfortunately dropped two games in a row. Just haven’t gotten enough going offensively the past two nights,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “We need to rebound tomorrow. I know we’re going to have a tough matchup.”
Even with a lineup that was whisper quiet for most of Game 5, the Guardians still brought the potential tying run to the plate multiple times in the last few innings. It seemed like Rays pitcher Drew Rasmussen was untouchable and, yet, the Guardians still found themselves only one swing away thanks to a number of superb defensive plays and the level of pitching Cleveland has come to expect.
It served as a reminder of how little has separated the teams in the series, and how golden of an opportunity — because of that stellar pitching staff — could be thrown away if the lineup can’t rebound in time as it did during the ALDS.
“[The bullpen] has been so dependable,” Kwan said. “They’re putting the right guys in the right time. We’ve come to rely on them a ton, and the offense needs to step up, myself included.”
Rays hitter Yandy Diaz declared the series over after Game 5, saying the Rays are going to close it out in Game 6. Now, it's up to the Guardians lineup to respond.
Ryan Lewis covers the Guardians for the Beacon Journal. He can be reached at rlewis1@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Guardians know offense is again key to surviving elimination vs. Rays