Rays Take 3-2 ALCS Lead After Game 5 Win
Drew Rasmussen pitched seven strong innings and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Cleveland Guardians 3-1 on Sunday to take a 3-2 lead in the American League Championship Series, mlb.com reported. The victory puts the Rays just one win away from securing a trip to the World Series and heading back to Tropicana Field with series momentum.
Rasmussen held the Guardians to one run on four hits over his seven frames of work. He became the first pitcher in Rays franchise history to log multiple postseason starts lasting seven or more innings while allowing one or fewer runs. The performance mirrors a feat last accomplished before the World Series by Logan Webb with the San Francisco Giants in 2021.
Guardians Face Elimination After Offensive Struggles
Cleveland managed just five hits against Rasmussen and the Tampa Bay bullpen in Game 5, continuing a quiet stretch at the plate. Guardians manager Stephen Vogt addressed the team’s offensive drop-off following the loss.
Due to inclement weather, ALCS Game 4 between the Rays and Guardians has been postponed to Saturday at 8 pm ET. Game 5 will shift to Sunday at 5 pm ET. pic.twitter.com/zQDrOecgZa
“We need to rebound tomorrow. I know we’re going to have a tough matchup tomorrow. But we need to get guys on base and we need to score runs. And we just haven’t done that enough over the last two days.”
The Guardians face a 77-year title drought, the longest in Major League Baseball, dating back to their 1948 World Series victory. To keep their season alive, the team must win Game 6 on the road at Tropicana Field. In any best-of-seven series tied 2-2, the Game 5 winner historically goes on to take the series 46 out of 69 times, representing a 67 percent success rate.
Game 6 Pitching Matchup and Series History
Game 6 is scheduled for Monday at 8 p.m. ET. The Rays will send pitcher Freddy Peralta to the mound after he threw nine pitches of relief in Game 4 on Saturday as a side throw day between starts. Peralta previously threw six shutout innings with six strikeouts in his Game 2 start at Tropicana Field.
For Cleveland, manager Stephen Vogt stated that Game 3 starter Gavin Williams will not start Game 6 on short rest, calling it “not an option.” The Guardians must piece together a pitching plan through their bullpen to stave off elimination.
If the Rays advance, it would guarantee a first-time World Series champion as neither the Rays nor the Brewers have won a title since their organizations entered the league. The Rays entered the league in 1998 and previously reached the World Series in 2008, losing to the Philadelphia Phillies, and in 2020, losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Frequently Asked Questions About the ALCS
What is the historical series-winning percentage for Game 5 road winners in a 2-3-2 format?
In postseason series with the current 2-3-2 format tied at 2-2, teams that win Game 5 on the road before returning home for Games 6 and 7 have gone on to win the series 21 out of 28 times, or 75 percent.
How many postseason strikeouts does Gavin Williams have entering Game 6?
Gavin Williams has recorded 33 strikeouts over 16 2/3 innings this postseason for the Guardians.
What are the previous World Series appearances for the Tampa Bay franchise?
Playing in their 29th season since entering MLB in 1998, the Rays have reached the World Series twice previously, losing to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2008 and the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020.