Rays beat Guardians 3-1, one win from the World Series
With seven innings from Drew Rasmussen, Tampa Bay leads the ALCS 3-2 and can clinch the World Series berth on Monday at Tropicana Field.
The Tampa Bay Rays beat the Cleveland Guardians 3-1 in Game 5 of the ALCS, the American League Championship Series, and took a 3-2 lead, according to AP. The game was played Sunday, Oct. 18, at Progressive Field.
The Rays had a 3-0 lead by the third inning: a bases-loaded walk to Jonny DeLuca in the first, a single by Jonathan Aranda in the second and another by Liam Hicks in the third. Cleveland answered with a run that AP places in the seventh, on a Chase DeLauter single, and that ESPN places in the sixth.
Starter Drew Rasmussen went seven innings, allowing one run and four hits with one walk and six strikeouts. It was his second win of the postseason and lowers his playoff ERA to 1.29, according to ESPN. In the bullpen, Cam Booser and Tyler Wells recorded the outs in the eighth and Bryan Baker handled the ninth for his fifth save of this postseason.
Cleveland had to lean on its bullpen again. Its starter, rookie Parker Messick, lasted only two innings, and the Guardians used six pitchers, after seven in Game 4.
Rays manager Kevin Cash said the way Rasmussen limited the damage was "really impressive." Yandy Díaz looked ahead to the next game: "But it all ends tomorrow. We're going to win tomorrow."
Game 6 is Monday, Oct. 19, at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. Tampa Bay will start Freddy Peralta, and Cleveland had not announced its starter; manager Stephen Vogt ruled out Gavin Williams. If the Rays win, they will face the Milwaukee Brewers in the World Series, which opens at home for Milwaukee on Friday, Oct. 23. If they lose, the series goes to a Game 7.
