CLEVELAND — The Tampa Bay Rays are one win away from the World Series, and they’ll have two chances to clinch a berth at home.
Yandy Diaz had three hits and scored a run, and Drew Rasmussen carried a shutout into the sixth inning as the Rays beat the Cleveland Guardians 3-1 in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series on Sunday.
The teams had alternated wins through the first four games before Tampa Bay claimed its second straight victory in Cleveland to take a 3-2 series lead.
The Rays are seeking their third AL pennant and their first World Series title.
“Momentum is big in this sport. We have it, and we’re going to keep it,” said Tampa Bay outfielder Jonny DeLuca, who opened the scoring with a bases-loaded walk in the first inning. “Once bats get hot, they say it’s contagious and it’s true. It carried over from (Saturday).”
Game 6 is Monday in St. Petersburg, Fla., where Game 7 would also be played Tuesday if necessary. The National League champion Milwaukee Brewers await the ALCS winner in the World Series.
The Rays have won 58 of their 85 regular-season and postseason games at home, but doubts remained about their ability to thrive outside their domed stadium.
Two victories in three games in Cleveland — following a road win in their AL Division Series finale against the New York Yankees — have bolstered their confidence.
“This is a tough place to win, so it was a fun couple of days to get them,” Tampa Bay closer Bryan Baker said. “We’ve played pretty good at (Tropicana Field), but we knew we had to win a couple on the road, as well, in the playoffs. We’re doing that now.”
Rasmussen (2-0) pitched seven innings, allowing one run on four hits to earn his second win of the postseason. The right-hander struck out six and walked one, lowering his ERA in three postseason starts this fall to 1.29.
Cam Booser and Tyler Wells worked the eighth inning, and Baker pitched the ninth for his fifth save in as many postseason opportunities. The Rays combined to limit Cleveland to five hits.
Jo Adell, Nathaniel Lowe and Travis Bazzana came to the plate as potential tying runs against Baker, who walked Chase DeLauter to begin the ninth, but all three were retired.
“This team is built on trust and being able to rely on the guys,” Wells said. “It makes your job a lot easier knowing that.”
Tampa Bay scored once in each of the first three innings against Parker Messick (0-3) and Tim Herrin to take a 3-0 lead.
Messick walked DeLuca with the bases loaded to bring home Diaz in the first, and Jonathan Aranda’s single scored Ben Williamson in the second. Liam Hicks added an RBI single off Herrin in the third to score Chandler Simpson.
Messick was pulled after a career-low two innings, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks. The left-hander struck out three and threw 57 pitches, his fewest in 43 major league starts.
“We didn’t anticipate going to the bullpen in the third, but it didn’t feel right to put Parker back out there,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “Rasmussen was really good tonight. We fought and battled, but just couldn’t get the big hit.”
The Guardians cut their deficit to 3-1 in the sixth when Steven Kwan singled and scored on DeLauter’s groundout. Cleveland’s only hit through the first five innings was a two-out single by DeLauter in the first.
Simpson, Aranda and Hicks had two hits apiece for Tampa Bay. Taylor Walls was thrown out at home by left fielder Kwan in the fourth.
Kwan singled twice and made a leaping catch at the center-field wall in the ninth, taking away an extra-base hit from Victor Mesa Jr.
“We’re doing the hard part of getting guys on base, getting in scoring position,” Kwan said. “I feel like we were one hit away, but it just didn’t come today.”
Jose Ramirez reached base for the 17th consecutive postseason game, breaking Cleveland’s franchise record. DeLauter tied the franchise record for hits by a rookie in a single postseason with 11.
–Brian Dulik, Field Level Media
