Rays Take Advantage of Guardians Miscues to Even up ALCS

The Tampa Bay Rays knew they had let a great opportunity slip through their hands in Game 1 of the ALCS against the Cleveland Guardians.

After jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, they controlled the game until the sixth inning. That is when the Guardians broke through, scoring one run before recording at least one run in every inning to finish the game, resulting in a 7-3 final score.

In Game 2, scoring was at a premium once again in the early going. Both teams were scoreless through the first three innings, with Parker Messick and Freddy Peralta both dealing. However, a few miscues by Cleveland in the fourth inning allowed the Rays to pounce.

Just as has been the case all season, when they are presented with an opportunity to take advantage of an opponent, they do it. Third baseman Jose Ramirez committed an error to give Tampa Bay its first run of the game when Ben Williamson hit a grounder at him.

Rays even series 1-1 beating Guardians

That scored Victor Mesa Jr. and brought Liam Hicks up to the plate. He jumped on the first pitch, hitting a single to right center field that scored Chandler Simpson and Williamson, who was able to advance to second base during his at-bat.

That would be the only offense the Rays mustered in the game, but it was all they would need. Peralta was unhittable, throwing six shutout innings for the longest postseason outing of his career.

He allowed only four hits and issued two walks to go along with six strikeouts. Peralta has now gone eight straight starts, including the postseason, allowing one or fewer runs. In four of those outings, he wasn’t scored upon.

After the bullpen struggled in Game 1, Kevin Cash went back to his top guys, and this time around, they got the job done. A double allowed by Ian Seymour to Chase DeLauter plated the only run of the game for the Guardians, but he shut things down after that.

He got the ball to their star closer, Bryan Baker, with a 3-1 lead, and he did what he does best: shut the door. Baker threw a clean ninth inning, striking out one, converting his 34th consecutive save, including the postseason.

The teams will have a day off before returning to the field on Oct. 15 for Game 3, the first of three that will be played at Progressive Field. Nick Martinez will likely take the mound for Tampa Bay in that game to try to give his team a 2-1 lead.