Rays Beat Guardians 7-3 in ALCS Game 4 to Even Series 2-2
Tampa Bay's quiet bats came alive in Cleveland and a costly seventh-inning error helped the Rays to a 7-3 win over the Guardians, turning the ALCS into a best-of-three starting with Game 5 on Sunday.
The Tampa Bay Rays beat the Cleveland Guardians 7-3 on Saturday night at Progressive Field, tying the American League Championship Series at two games apiece after their quiet top of the order finally broke through.
Tampa Bay took control with a three-run seventh inning, according to the Associated Press. Jonathan Aranda’s single got past right fielder Chase DeLauter for an error, allowing two runs to score, and Chandler Simpson followed with a sacrifice fly. Junior Caminero had given the Rays a 2-1 lead with an RBI double in the sixth.
Guardians’ rally falls short in the seventh
Cleveland fought back in the bottom of the seventh. Rookie second baseman Travis Bazzana hit the first postseason home run of his career, and Brayan Rocchio’s RBI single cut the lead to 5-3 with the tying run at the plate. Rays reliever Cam Booser ended the threat by striking out pinch-hitter David Fry.
Yandy Diaz put the game out of reach with a two-run homer in the ninth off Matt Festa. Diaz, Aranda, Simpson and Caminero – the first four hitters in the Rays lineup – combined for six of Tampa Bay’s 11 hits and six RBIs after going 7 for 41 over the first three games of the series. “A lot of really good at-bats. A lot of hard hits,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “But overall, just happy that Junior squared some balls up, Aranda came through in a big way for us and then Yandy there at the end with an add-on homer.”
Series now a best-of-three
The win turns the series into a best-of-three. Game 5 is Sunday at 5 p.m. ET in Cleveland, with Guardians rookie Parker Messick facing Rays starter Drew Rasmussen. The series then moves to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg on Monday for Game 6, with no travel day after Friday’s scheduled game was postponed by rain. “It was a big bounce-back game,” Simpson said. “We’re glad to be going back home after that.”
The Rays are chasing the franchise’s first World Series title – Tampa Bay is one of five clubs never to have won one – while Cleveland’s last championship came in 1948.
Reporting based on coverage by the Associated Press, USA Today, and NBC Sports.
