Rasmussen delivers seven innings as Rays seize control
Tampa Bay moved to the brink of its third World Series appearance by defeating Cleveland 3-1 on Sunday evening at Progressive Field, taking a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven American League Championship Series. Drew Rasmussen held the Guardians to four hits and one walk across seven innings, striking out six, and the Rays now return to Tropicana Field needing one more win to advance.[S1][S2][S3]
The right-hander adjusted his mix as the game progressed, leaning more on four-seam fastballs and cutters when his sinker did not behave as intended. Catcher Liam Hicks described Rasmussen's command as precise and said the pitcher's stuff was evident from the opening inning. Tampa Bay's defense, particularly from shortstop Taylor Walls and second baseman Ben Williamson, supported the effort.[S1]
Early pressure forces Cleveland into another bullpen game
Parker Messick, originally scheduled for Monday but moved up after Friday's rainout, lasted only two innings and 57 pitches. Jonny DeLuca drew a bases-loaded walk in the first, and Jonathan Aranda's one-out single in the second scored Ben Williamson. Liam Hicks added an RBI single in the third after Chandler Simpson doubled and stole third, though Steven Kwan threw out Walls at home to end another threat in the fourth.[S1]
Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt ruled out Gavin Williams on short rest and said the club would settle on a starter later. The Guardians' relievers have covered 61 per cent of the team's 89 postseason innings, and leverage arms Erik Sabrowski, Hunter Gaddis and Cade Smith each worked at least an inning in Game 5. Vogt said his high-leverage pitchers kept their pitch counts low and would be available.[S1]
History and a rested Peralta favor Tampa Bay
Freddy Peralta, who threw six scoreless innings in Game 2 and recorded two outs in Saturday's 7-3 win, is lined up to start for the Rays. Bryan Baker closed the ninth for his second save of the series and said the club's first objective was simply to return home. When a best-of-seven is tied 2-2, the Game 5 winner has taken the series 46 of 69 times, and road teams that win the fifth game have won seven of ten such series.[S1]
Cleveland's lone run came in the sixth, when Steven Kwan singled, advanced on a Jose Ramirez hit that extended his club postseason on-base streak to 17 games, and scored on Chase DeLauter's groundout. Rasmussen retired the side in the seventh after Nathaniel Lowe's leadoff single was erased by a double play. Yandy Diaz had three hits and scored the first run, and he predicted the Rays would finish the job Monday.[S1]
