Rays survive eighth-inning scare, beat Guardians 7-3 and take AL pennant

Kevin Kelly struck out Brayan Rocchio with the bases loaded in the eighth inning, Yandy Díaz answered with a two-run homer, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Cleveland Guardians 7-3 on Monday night to win the American League Championship Series, four games to two.

Tampa Bay won the last three games of the series. After trailing Cleveland 2-1, the Rays took consecutive games on the road and finished the job at Tropicana Field. They will face Milwaukee in the World Series.

Palacios put the Rays ahead in the second inning with a two-run double to right against Tim Herrin. Chandler Simpson and Victor Mesa Jr. scored. An inning later, Jonny DeLuca's sacrifice fly brought home Caminero for a 3-0 lead.

Freddy Peralta gave Tampa Bay 5 1/3 innings, allowing one run on five hits and three walks. He struck out three and threw 84 pitches. Cleveland finally scored against him in the sixth when Nathaniel Lowe singled home Chase DeLauter.

Cam Booser then supplied 1 2/3 hitless innings. With Cleveland still within two runs, Caminero hit a two-run homer off Cade Smith in the seventh. Liam Hicks scored ahead of him, pushing the lead to 5-1. Caminero finished 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored.

Cleveland made the eighth uncomfortable. DeLauter reached on an infield single after a successful challenge, and Lowe singled with two outs. Travis Bazzana walked to load the bases. Patrick Bailey's walk forced in one run, and a pitch hit pinch hitter Ángel Martínez to force in another.

The Guardians had cut the deficit to 5-3 and still had the bases loaded. Kevin Kelly ended the inning by striking out Brayan Rocchio on three pitches. Cleveland's chance to get the tying runs home was gone.

Díaz immediately restored the four-run margin. After Taylor Walls walked in the bottom of the eighth, Díaz homered to left against Hunter Gaddis. The drive traveled 416 feet, according to the game record.

Bryan Baker retired the Guardians in order in the ninth. Steven Kwan and José Ramírez grounded out before DeLauter fouled out to catcher Hicks for the final out.

Tampa Bay scored twice in each of the last two innings it batted, answering Cleveland's two-run eighth immediately.

Each team finished with seven hits. Lowe and DeLauter had two apiece for Cleveland, while Caminero and Palacios each had two for Tampa Bay. Walls walked three times. Cleveland used eight pitchers, but the Rays' two late home runs supplied enough room to survive the Guardians' last rally.