Rays beat Guardians 3-1 in Game 5 and move one win from the World Series
Drew Rasmussen allowed one run over seven innings and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Cleveland Guardians 3-1 on Sunday at Progressive Field to take a 3-2 lead in the American League Championship Series, The Associated Press reported. Game 6 is Monday at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.
How it happened: Tampa Bay scored a run in each of the first three innings, the AP reported. Yandy Díaz led off the game with a double and scored on Parker Messick’s bases-loaded walk to Jonny DeLuca; Jonathan Aranda’s single drove in Ben Williamson in the second; and Liam Hicks’ looping single off Tim Herrin scored Chandler Simpson in the third. Cleveland scored its only run in the sixth, according to the line score on Baseball-Reference.
On the mound: Rasmussen gave up four hits, walked one and struck out six, and he is 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA in three postseason starts, the AP reported. Tampa Bay has won 14 of his 15 starts since his All-Star Game appearance, MLB.com reported. Messick lasted two innings, the shortest outing of his big-league career, and Bryan Baker pitched the ninth for his 35th straight converted save chance.
What they said: “We need to rebound tomorrow,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said, according to MLB.com. “We need to get guys on base and we need to score runs.”
What’s next: After Sunday’s game, the Rays need one win for their third AL pennant. Game 6 is Monday in St. Petersburg and a Game 7, if needed, would be Tuesday, the AP reported. Since the ALCS expanded to seven games in 1985, road teams that won Game 5 for a 3-2 lead have won the series four of five times, and Cleveland has never won an ALCS when trailing 3-2, according to the AP. The World Series starts Friday at Milwaukee.