ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Nathaniel Lowe hit a tiebreaking, two-run single in the eighth inning, while Chase DeLauter and Patrick Bailey contributed solo home runs, leading the Cleveland Guardians to a 7-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series on Monday night.
Junior Caminero and Jonny DeLuca recorded RBI singles in the first inning off Foster Griffin, and Cedric Mullins hit a solo home run for the Rays, who previously swept the New York Yankees in their AL Division Series.
Game 2 is scheduled for Tuesday night at Tropicana Field, with rookie left-hander Parker Messick starting for Cleveland and right-hander Freddy Peralta taking the mound for the Rays.
Five Guardians relievers combined to pitch five innings, allowing one run on two hits. The Guardians had recently become only the 11th team to overcome an 0-2 deficit in a best-of-five playoff series, achieving this against the Chicago White Sox on Saturday night. Cade Smith, who appeared in all five games against Chicago, pitched a perfect ninth inning.
Rasmussen started strong, taking a 2-0 lead into the sixth inning before DeLauter hit a home run to left-center. Bailey followed with a home run to center field in the seventh, ending Rasmussen's night.
José Ramírez led off the eighth with an infield single off Tyler Wells, and DeLauter hit a double to right. After Wells retired Jo Adell, Ian Seymour entered the game. Lowe then lined an 0-2 pitch up the middle, driving in two runs and giving Cleveland a 4-2 lead.
Mullins responded with a home run off Erik Sabrowski in the bottom half of the eighth. Ramírez later provided an insurance run with an RBI single in the ninth off Cole Sulser, helping the Guardians secure two additional runs after a defensive misplay by the Rays.
A crowd of 35,361 fans attended the game, waving yellow rally towels and ringing cowbells as the Rays made their third appearance in the ALCS in the franchise's 29-season history. The 98-win Rays initially took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, with Rasmussen working to maintain that lead until the sixth.
Rasmussen pitched six-plus innings, allowing eight hits and striking out seven. Griffin allowed two runs and five hits in four innings. The Rays had allowed just 12 hits in three games against the Yankees, but the Guardians managed 14 hits in the series opener, with Ramírez and DeLauter each contributing three hits.