The Cleveland Guardians defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 7-3 in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series on Monday, scoring five runs over the final two innings after trailing early.
Tampa Bay took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on consecutive run-scoring hits by Junior Caminero and Jonny DeLuca. Rays starter Drew Rasmussen held Cleveland scoreless through five innings and struck out seven.
The Guardians narrowed the deficit in the sixth when Chase DeLauter hit a solo home run. Patrick Bailey tied the score with a solo homer in the seventh, ending Rasmussen’s outing.
Cleveland took the lead in the eighth against Tampa Bay relievers. After a single by José Ramírez and a DeLauter double, Nathaniel Lowe drove in two runs with a single. Pinch-hitter Cedric Mullins hit a solo home run for the Rays in the bottom of the inning, making it 4-3.
Ramírez added an RBI single in the ninth. After Cleveland’s next batter walked, Jo Adell hit a two-run double to complete the scoring. Ramírez finished 3-for-5 with two runs scored, and he and DeLauter combined for six hits. Cleveland had 14 hits overall.
The source reports Game 2 was scheduled for Tuesday night at Tropicana Field. The provided material does not include a result for that game.
