Guardians' Parker Messick, Rays' Drew Rasmussen to start Game 5 of ALCS

CLEVELAND — With the American League Championship Series tied 2-2, Game 5 between the Guardians and Tampa Bay Rays will pit All-Star starting pitchers against each other on Sunday, Oct. 18, at Progressive Field.

The Guardians will start rookie Parker Messick, and the Rays will start Drew Rasmussen, their respective managers said after Tampa Bay prevailed 7-3 in Game 4 on Saturday, Oct. 17, in Cleveland .

Guardians-Rays, ALCS Game 1's best photos

Messick is 0-2 in three starts this postseason with a 3.09 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 11⅔ innings. In the regular season, he went 12-9 with a 2.56 ERA and 193 strikeouts in 186⅓ innings. He started Game 2 of the ALCS, a 3-1 Rays win. He allowed three runs (zero earned), six hits and two walks and struck out three in five innings.

Rasmussen is 1-0 in two starts this postseason with a 1.29 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 14 innings. In the regular season, he went 16-5 with a 2.67 ERA with 174 strikeouts in 172 innings. He started Game 1 of the ALCS, a 7-3 Guardians victory. He allowed two runs, eight hits and no walks and struck out seven in six innings.

The Akron Beacon Journal sports department can be contacted via email at bjsports@thebeaconjournal.com.