Game 5 was underway at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario, the last home game for Cleveland in the ALCS with the series tied 2-2. Parker Messick took the mound for the second time this series, fourth in the post season, but for the first time all season with Patrick Bailey behind the plate.
The first inning didn’t go great for Parker. Yandy Díaz hit a lead off double and a walk and a single loaded them with two outs. Messick couldn’t secure the final out, walking in Jonny DeLuca to give Tampa the first run of the game and drive his pitch count to 31 pitches. It was clear that Messick was looking gassed going into this start, which is nothing negative on the rookie phenom pitcher.
The Guardians couldn’t lift up their pitcher, but did work some decent count at bats. Chase DeLauter got on base with a single to center, and Rasmussen ended up pitching 21 pitches in his first inning of work.
With a ten pitch disadvantage, Parker got to work against the Rays. Ben Williamson singled in the first at bat and Yandy Díaz reached on a single to right, putting two on with one out. Messick was being limited to his Changeup, Four-Seam, and Sinker to pitch the Rays and it did not pay off. Jonathan Aranda hit a single to left, scoring Williamson and leaving runners on first and second with only one out. By the time he recorded the second out, and with the second Carl Willis mound visit of the game, Parker had already thrown 49 pitches. With Junior Caminero up to bat, Parker battled and showed why he is so revered as a rookie. Parker won the eight pitch at bat battle with Caminero and struck him out for the final out of the inning. Parker’s night ended early, having thrown 57 pitches through 2.0 innings. With tonight’s appearance, Parker has officially hit 200 innings pitched between the regular and post season.
Tim Herrin came on in the third to relieve Messick. Chandler Simpson hit a lead off double to right. Chase DeLauter bobbled the ball a bit, but it is highly doubtful he would have been able to throw out the speedy Simpson. However, it is the second bobbled ball already in the game for Cleveland defense. With one out Liam Hick blooped a single into center, scoring Simpson who stole third on a pitch to the back stop. Ben Williamson grounded into an easy double play to retire the side with Tampa up 3-0.
In the top of the fourth Taylor Wells hit a lead off single on a bunt to first off of Herrin. Vogt was quick with the hook and pulled Herrin for Shawn Armstrong. Armstrong got a quick pop out to first for the first out of the inning. Jonathan Aranda hit a long single to left where Steven Kwan flashed his four gold gloves, fielding it perfectly and getting it to Bailey for the perfect tag from behind the plate to get the runner Walls out.
Victor Mesa Jr. flied out to Kwan for the final out of the inning. Veteran Shawn Armstrong gave Cleveland their first scoreless inning of the game.
In the fourth inning, the Guardians got their first baserunner since CDL’s single in the first. With two outs, Jo Adell worked a full count and was awarded first base after a successful ABS challenge overturned the strike call.
Cleveland continued to grind through their bullpen. Armstrong made the first out of the fifth and Erik Sabrowski claimed the next two outs to retire the side. Cleveland’s offense just looked weak against Rasmussen, going 1-2-3 again.
Sabrowski came out in the top of the sixth and gave Cleveland a critical 1-2-3 inning. Liam Hicks hit a lead off single, but Ben Williamson grounded into a double play for the first two outs. Sabrowski struck out Taylor Walls to retire the side with five outs in 1.2 innings of work.
In the bottom of the sixth, Cleveland finally struck against Rasmussen. With a quick first out, Steven Kwan and José Ramírez hit back to back singles to get runners on. Chase DeLauter hit a grounder to first, which wasn’t fielded in a way that allowed for a double play. This scored Steven Kwan and brough the Guards within two runs of Tampa with Rasmussen reaching 83 pitches.
After a few days off, Hunter Gaddis came on in the top of the seventh for his eighth appearance in the playoffs so far. Hunter Gaddis gave up contact to all three batters faced, but all three batters were effortlessly handled by the Guardians defense giving Gaddis a five pitch, 1-2-3 inning.
Nathaniel Lowe singled on a liner to left to start the bottom of the seventh, but a pop out and double play removed the threat of scoring and gave Rasmussen his seventh, and final, inning of this outing.
Junior Caminero lead off the top of the eighth with Hunter Gaddis pitching. Caminero singled to left, but Rocchio and Kwan converged on the same spot, neither catching the ball but avoiding collision. With two outs and a pinch runner on third, Gaddis walked Liam Hicks. Vogt turned to closer Cade Smith for four outs. Smith made quick work of Ben Williamson to retire the side.
In the penultimate inning, down two the Guardians desperately needed production from the bottom of the order. Angel Martínez came in to pinch hit for Petey Halpin and hit a high fly ball to right on the second pitch for the first out. Rocchio grounded out for the second out of the inning, turning things back over to the top of the order with Tampa’s star closer, Bryan Baker, looming for the ninth inning. Steven Kwan blooped a single to center, bringing José up to bat and Tyler Wells to come out for one out. José struck out swinging to end the eighth, leaving CDL, Jo, and Lowe to walk it off for Cleveland.
Cade Smith got an early strikeout, but Yandy Díaz hit a single to left that popped out of Angel’s glove as he dove for the catch. Jonathan Aranda flied out to Angel for the second out of the inning. With Cade’s pitch count climbing into the twenties, Victor Mesa Jr. saw the second pitch and hammered it. At one point, it looked like the home run Tampa needed to seal the deal on Cleveland. It fell just shy of a homer and perfectly into Steven Kwan’s glove. Kwan, who shifted to center, got under the ball and made the perfect catch for the final out.
Chase DeLauter worked a walk against Bryan Baker to start the bottom of the ninth. Jo Adell hit into a force out that should have been a double play, but the ball was misplayed by Richie Palacios. Nathaniel Lowe popped out for the second out. Rookie Travis Bazzana was left with the game on his shoulders. Bazz grounded out for the final out of the game, sending the series back to Tampa Bay with the Rays leading the series 3-2.