The Tampa Bay Rays are back on even footing in the American League Championship Series after defeating the Cleveland Guardians 7-3 Saturday night at Progressive Field, tying the best-of-seven series at two games apiece.
Junior Caminero delivered the go-ahead double in the sixth inning, Jonathan Aranda collected three hits, and Yandy Díaz added a two-run homer in the ninth as Tampa Bay’s offense came alive following Thursday’s narrow loss.
The victory came after Friday’s Game 4 was postponed by rain, leaving both teams with a compressed schedule and no remaining days off. Instead of facing a 3-1 deficit, the Rays have guaranteed themselves another game at Tropicana Field, where the series returns Monday.
Caminero Breaks Through as Rays Take the Lead
Cleveland struck first when Chase DeLauter delivered an RBI single against Tampa Bay starter Nick Martinez in the opening inning.
The Rays tied the game in the third, but Caminero nearly gave them the lead in the fourth when he drove a ball toward the center-field wall. Petey Halpin made an astonishing catch to rob him of a home run, preserving the tie.
Two innings later, Caminero finally delivered.
With two runners aboard in the sixth, he lined a 110.2-mph double into the left-field corner against Daniel Espino, bringing home Aranda with the go-ahead run and giving Tampa Bay a 2-1 advantage.
The hit was particularly significant for Caminero, who had struck out four times in Thursday’s Game 3 loss.
Tampa Bay extended its lead in the seventh, capitalizing on Cleveland’s defensive mistakes to score three runs. Aranda singled toward right field, where DeLauter misplayed the ball, allowing an additional run to score.
The Rays emerged from the inning with a 5-1 lead, but Cleveland wasn’t finished.
Travis Bazzana homered in the bottom of the seventh, and Brayan Rocchio added an RBI single to cut Tampa Bay’s advantage to 5-3.
The Guardians couldn’t get any closer. Díaz launched a two-run homer in the ninth to complete the scoring and secure the 7-3 victory.
Aranda finished with three hits, two RBIs, and two runs scored after entering the game in an 0-for-10 postseason slump. Richie Palacios also collected three hits as the Rays finished with 11.
Martinez Delivers as Rays Pitching Holds Cleveland
Martinez gave Tampa Bay the start it needed, allowing one run on two hits over 5⅓ innings.
The right-hander had already thrown 13 scoreless innings against Cleveland during the regular season, and he continued that success Saturday by preventing the Guardians from building on their early lead.
His performance was particularly valuable following Friday’s postponement, which gave Tampa Bay the option of adjusting its rotation.
Instead, manager Kevin Cash stayed with Martinez, preserving Drew Rasmussen for Sunday’s pivotal Game 5.
Cash also turned to Freddy Peralta in relief, an aggressive move reflecting the importance of preventing Cleveland from taking a commanding series lead.
The Guardians managed eight hits but struggled to sustain offensive pressure. Cleveland also committed two errors, including DeLauter’s seventh-inning misplay, which helped Tampa Bay pull away.
ALCS Becomes a Best-of-Three Series
Neither team has managed consecutive victories through the first four games.
Cleveland won the opener 7-3 before Tampa Bay responded with a 3-1 victory in Game 2. The Guardians reclaimed the series lead Thursday with a 3-2 win, only to see the Rays answer Saturday.
With the series tied 2-2, both clubs need two victories to advance to the World Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, who swept the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS.
The compressed schedule could make bullpen management increasingly important, particularly if the series extends to a decisive seventh game.
Game 5 is scheduled for Sunday, October 18, at 4:08 p.m. CT at Progressive Field. Drew Rasmussen is scheduled to start for Tampa Bay against Cleveland left-hander Parker Messick. Coverage will be available on TBS, truTV, and HBO Max.
The series returns to Tropicana Field for Game 6 on Monday, October 19, at 7:08 p.m. CT. If necessary, Game 7 will be played Tuesday, October 20, at 7:08 p.m. CT.
