Rays and Guardians play ALCS Game 5 with series tied 2-2
Rasmussen and Messick start in Cleveland; the winner will be one victory away from a World Series against the Brewers.
The American League Championship Series is tied 2-2 heading into Game 5, set for Sunday, Oct. 18, at Progressive Field in Cleveland. First pitch is scheduled for 5:08 p.m. Eastern, according to Fox 13 Tampa Bay.
Tampa Bay evened the series Saturday with a 7-3 win in Game 4, so the teams now play a game that decides who goes up 3-2.
Right-hander Drew Rasmussen starts for the Rays. This postseason he is 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA (earned runs allowed per nine innings) and 17 strikeouts, according to Fox 13. Left-hander Parker Messick starts for Cleveland, with an 0-2 record, a 3.09 ERA and 14 strikeouts. Messick took the loss in Game 2 of this series.
History favors the winner of Game 5. Yahoo Sports cites MLB's Sarah Langs: the team that won Game 5 went on to take the series in 46 of 69 cases, or 66.7%.
Game 6 is scheduled for Monday at Tropicana Field in Tampa, and Game 7, if needed, for Tuesday, according to Fox 13. The American League champion will face the Milwaukee Brewers, who have already clinched their place in the World Series, which opens Oct. 23 in Milwaukee.
