Lowe’s go-ahead single caps Guardians’ late rally past Rays, 7–3

Nathaniel Lowe's two-run single in the eighth inning gave Cleveland its first lead, and the Guardians kept scoring from there. They beat Tampa Bay 7-3 on Monday in the American League Championship Series opener after trailing for most of the night.

Cleveland scored all seven runs in the final four innings. Chase DeLauter and Patrick Bailey hit solo homers to erase a 2-0 deficit, Lowe broke the tie, and a three-run ninth gave the Guardians room to finish the game. The final box score showed 14 Cleveland hits against seven for the Rays.

The winning rally started with José Ramírez and DeLauter reaching in the eighth. Lowe singled to center to bring both home, pushing Cleveland ahead 4-2. It was the first time Tampa Bay had trailed in this postseason, Yahoo Sports reported in its game coverage.

Lowe finished with two hits and two RBI, while DeLauter went 3-for-4, walked and scored three runs. Ramírez also had three hits and scored twice.

Tampa Bay had taken control immediately against Foster Griffin. Junior Caminero singled home Yandy Díaz in the first, and Jonny DeLuca's RBI single brought Caminero home. Griffin gave up five hits and two runs over four innings, but Cleveland's relievers kept the deficit manageable while its hitters worked through Drew Rasmussen.

DeLauter supplied the first breakthrough in the sixth with a 381-foot home run to left-center. Bailey followed an inning later with a 436-foot shot to center that tied the game. Rasmussen finished with eight hits and two runs allowed in six innings, striking out seven without a walk; both runs against him came on those solo homers.

Cleveland then reached Tampa Bay's bullpen for five more runs. Lowe's eighth-inning single gave the Guardians a two-run cushion, but Cedric Mullins cut it to 4-3 with a home run in the bottom half. Cleveland still needed a final inning of offense and pitching to turn its comeback into a series lead.

The ninth delivered both. Ramírez singled to left to score Angel Martínez after a Cleveland challenge overturned a tag call at first base. Jo Adell then doubled to left, scoring Ramírez and DeLauter to make it 7-3. Adell's only hit of the game supplied two RBI at the point when Tampa Bay was still within one swing of tying it.

Cade Smith retired the Rays in the ninth on six pitches. Daniel Espino, Joey Cantillo, Hunter Gaddis, Erik Sabrowski and Smith combined for five relief innings; Mullins' homer was the only run they allowed. Gaddis was credited with the win.

Cleveland takes a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. Monday's result gives the Guardians a road victory to pair with the three straight wins that carried them through the Division Series. Cleveland scored in four consecutive innings to finish the comeback, and Smith’s clean ninth kept Tampa Bay from putting the tying run on deck.

Sources

MLB: Guardians–Rays ALCS Game 1 final box and plays · Cleveland rallies to win ALCS opener