Tampa Bay beat Cleveland 7-3 in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series, tying the best-of-seven matchup at two games apiece. The result means the series will last at least six games before an American League champion is decided.
Cleveland scored first in the opening inning. Chase DeLauter singled home Steven Kwan, putting the Guardians ahead 1-0. Tampa Bay answered in the third: Yandy Díaz doubled with two outs, and Jonathan Aranda drove him in to make it 1-1.
The Rays took the lead in the sixth. With runners at first and second and no outs, Junior Caminero hit an RBI double, making the score 2-1. Tampa Bay did not add to its advantage in that inning, but created another opportunity in the seventh, opening the frame with runners on second and third and nobody out.
Díaz struck out, but Aranda followed by bringing both runners home. Aranda later scored on a sacrifice fly, extending Tampa Bay’s lead to 5-1. Cleveland responded in the bottom of the inning, cutting the deficit in half and bringing the potential tying run to the plate, but the Guardians did not complete the comeback.
Díaz provided additional insurance in the ninth, hitting a two-run home run with two outs. DeLauter came close to making the catch, according to the supplied report. Tampa Bay closer Bryan Baker entered with a four-run cushion. After allowing a leadoff single, he got a double play and then struck out Angel Martínez to finish the game.
The series schedule had been altered by a weather postponement on Friday night. The delay pushed Games 4 and 5 back by one day each. Game 5 was listed for Sunday at 5:08 p.m. Eastern time, while Game 6 remained scheduled for Monday. The report said there were no additional off days on the series calendar.
The supplied account also noted that neither team had won consecutive games in the series through Game 4. Tampa Bay’s win evened the matchup, leaving both clubs needing two more victories to take the American League title.
