Cleveland Guardians defeat Tampa Bay Rays 7-3 in Game 1 of ALCS

<p>The Tampa Bay Rays faced a challenging game on Monday night as they lost to the Cleveland Guardians, 7-3, in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series (ALCS) held in St. Petersburg. The Guardians scored five runs in the final two innings to secure the victory.</p><p>The Rays took an early lead in the first inning when Junior Caminero and Jonny DeLuca each hit RBI singles, putting Tampa Bay ahead 2-0. Starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen maintained the lead through five innings, recording seven strikeouts.</p><p>The Guardians responded in the sixth inning when Chase DeLauter hit a solo home run, tying the game at 2-2. Patrick Bailey then gave Cleveland the lead in the seventh inning with another solo home run.</p><p>In the eighth inning, the Guardians increased their lead with a two-run single from Nathaniel Lowe, making the score 4-2. Tampa Bay's Cedric Mullins hit a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth, narrowing the gap to 4-3.</p><p>In the ninth inning, Jose Ramirez extended Cleveland's lead with an RBI single, followed by a two-run double from Jo Adell, bringing the final score to 7-3. Cleveland recorded 14 hits against six Tampa Bay pitchers, with Ramirez and DeLauter contributing significantly to the offense.</p><p>The Rays entered the game following a sweep of the New York Yankees but left with increased pressure as they prepare for Game 2 on Tuesday night at Tropicana Field.</p>