There’s only one game in town at the moment with the Brewers awaiting their opponent in the World Series, and after weather forced a postponement on Friday the Guardians and Rays took the field for Game 4 of the ALCS yesterday. Cleveland entered with a 2-1 lead in the series and with the next two games on their home field, there was the opportunity to close this out without letting things go back to Tampa Bay. Unfortunately for Cleveland, the Rays poured it on late to make sure they’d get at least one more shot in the Trop for 2026.
American League Championship Series Game 4
Tampa Bay Rays 7, Cleveland Guardians 3
(Series tied, 2-2)
With the start of this game delayed a day, the rotations for both teams got a slight bit of rest — Cleveland opted to try and reach back for their Game 1 starter in Foster Griffin after an opener, while Tampa stayed in rotation and sent out Nick Martinez. Shawn Armstrong got the ball to get through the first for the Guardians and worked around a two-out error, and initially things looked up for Cleveland as Steven Kwan led off with a single against Martinez followed by a wild pitch putting him in scoring position for Chase DeLauter, who singled him home for a 1-0 lead.
However, Martinez buckled down after the initial bumpy start. 11 straight Guardians were retired after DeLauter’s single, and after Travis Bazzana broke that streak with a walk Patrick Bailey promptly grounded into an inning-ending double play. Meanwhile, after Griffin got a 1-2-3 second inning to ease himself into the ballgame, the Rays struck in the third. Yandy Díaz ripped a two-out double to right field and Jonathan Aranda singled him in to tie the game at one all. Daniel Espino took over for the final out of the fifth inning, but when he went back out for the sixth he walked two consecutive batters before Junior Caminero doubled home the lead runner. Tim Herrin was called on to put out the fire and managed to do just that, getting an out at home on a contact play before a strikeout and pop up stranded the runners, but Tampa Bay held a 2-1 lead at the end of it.
The bottom of the sixth presented the first chance in a while for Cleveland as Petey Halpin led off with a walk, but after getting one more out Kevin Cash called on his Game 2 starter Freddy Peralta to relieve Martinez. Peralta issued another walk, this time to José Ramírez, but sandwiched it around a pair of outs to escape the jam. With both managers clearly feeling the pressure to take this game, the Rays exploded in the seventh — Richie Palacios and Taylor Walls both singled and stole a base to put runners on second and third for Aranda, who singled them both in and made it all the way to third on a fielding error. Chandler Simpson punished the misplay with a sac fly to make it 5-1 Tampa, and it was beginning to look like a runaway the way Cleveland’s bats had been swinging.
That’s when the Guardians got a rally to close the gap somewhat. They made two quick outs on a strikeout and groundout, but Bazzana took the second pitch he saw from Ian Seymour deep to right field for a solo shot, and a trio of singles led to Brayan Rocchio knocking in one more to cut the deficit to 5-3. Time was on Tampa’s side, however, and the eighth provided no further offense as the Guards stranded a two-out single. Then in the ninth, Díaz ripped the dagger shot with a two-run home run to put it out of reach for the Rays.
Bazzana remained Cleveland’s hottest hitter on the night and he led off the bottom of the ninth with a single, but was immediately erased on another double play ball from Bailey. Down to their last out, Angel Martínez worked a 3-1 count before ultimately striking out to end it.
Tampa Bay has tied up the ALCS at two games each, and has now ensured that the series will shift back to Tropicana Field for at least one game. Due to the delay in getting to Game 4 there won’t be an off-day for travel in-between Games 5 and 6, so it’ll be interesting to see how that impacts Peralta’s availability for Tampa after he got used (in an admittedly short appearance) in this game. The Rays will likely have their Game 1 starter Drew Rasmussen on the mound tonight, with Cleveland lined up to use their Game 2 starter Parker Messick.