Guardians Steal ALCS Game 1 vs. Rays, Box Score Stats, Highlights, Updated MLB Playoff Bracket
The Cleveland Guardians mounted a comeback to defeat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-3 in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series, fueled by RBIs from five different players.
The Cleveland Guardians mounted a comeback to defeat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-3 in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series, fueled by RBIs from five different players.
The No. 1 seed Tampa Bay entered the series opener as a 1.5-point home favorite against the No. 2 Guardians, according to FanDuel Sportsbook , but Cleveland's hot bats helped the team steal Game 1 on the road.
After Tampa Bay scored two runs in the first inning, its offense stalled while Cleveland's kept rolling, racking up 14 hits. The Guardians' bullpen also stepped up, allowing just two hits the rest of the game.
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No. 6 Chicago White Sox def. No. 3 Houston Astros, 2-0
No. 4 New York Yankees def. No. 5 Boston Red Sox, 2-0
No. 3 Atlanta Braves def. No. 6 Philadelphia Phillies, 2-1
No. 4 San Diego Padres def. No. 5 Chicago Cubs, 2-0
No. 2 Cleveland Guardians def. No. 6 Chicago White Sox, 3-2
No. 1 Tampa Bay Rays def. No. 4 New York Yankees, 3-0
No. 2 Los Angeles Dodgers def. No. 3 Atlanta Braves tied, 3-1
No. 1 Milwaukee Brewers def. No. 4 San Diego Padres, 3-1
No. 2 Cleveland Guardians lead No. 1 Tampa Bay Rays, 1-0
No. 1 Milwaukee Brewers lead No. 2 Los Angeles Dodgers, 2-0
Tampa Bay scored twice in the bottom of the first inning, with Junior Caminero singling to bring home Yandy Díaz before Jonny DeLuca followed with a single to score Caminero.
DeLuca stole second, and Ben Williamson was hit by a pitch to load the bases. However, the Rays escaped further damage after Foster Griffin struck out Taylor Walls to end the inning.
Cleveland found its offense in the top of the sixth when Chase DeLauter launched a 381-foot home run to put the Guardians on the board, cutting the deficit to 2-1.
The Guardians' lone source of offense came via the long ball, with Patrick Bailey crushing a 436-foot solo homer to tie the game in the top of the seventh.
The visitors kept rolling as Nathaniel Lowe ripped a two-run double in the top of the eighth, bringing home José Ramírez and DeLauter to give Cleveland its first lead of the game at 4-2.
Tampa Bay answered with a homer of its own, as Cedric Mullins went deep in his first at-bat, sending a solo shot the distance to cut the deficit to 4-3 heading into the ninth.
With two outs, Ramírez singled to left field, bringing home Angel Martínez from second to extend Cleveland's lead to 5-3. Ramírez was initially called out at first after a wide turn, attempting to go to second, but Cleveland successfully challenged the call to keep the inning alive.
A wild pitch sent Rodríguez to second, and DeLauter walked to first before Jo Adell doubled to bring both runners home and give Cleveland a commanding 7-3 lead that would hold on for the win.
Both teams will remain in Tampa Bay for Game 2, with first pitch scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.
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