Toronto Star
· collected 2026-10-13 · by Rob Maaddi The Associated Press
Story summary
On Monday night in St. Petersburg, the Cleveland Guardians defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 7-3 in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series. The game was tied at 2-2 after six innings but shifted when Chase DeLauter and Patrick Bailey hit solo home runs off Drew Rasmussen to give Cleveland a lead they wouldn't relinquish. In the eighth inning, Nathaniel Lowe's two-run single clinched the victory for the Guardians.
The Rays had opened with a 2-0 lead after RBI singles by Junior Caminero and Jonny DeLuca in the first inning. However, their bullpen struggled, allowing five runs over the final two innings despite pitching well earlier in the game. Cleveland's relievers combined for five scoreless innings, allowing only one run on two hits.
Game 2 of the series will be played at Tropicana Field on Tuesday night with rookie left-hander Parker Messick starting for Cleveland and right-hander Freddy Peralta taking the mound for Tampa Bay. The Guardians’ win marks their first appearance in the ALCS since 1995; meanwhile, this is the Rays' third time reaching the ALCS in franchise history.
Written for “ALCS Game 1 Guardians Win” on 2026-10-13,
grounded in this article and the 3 other(s) covering the same event.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Nathaniel Lowe snapped an eighth-inning tie with a two-run single after Chase DeLauter and Patrick Bailey homered off Drew Rasmussen, and the Cleveland Guardians rallied past the Tampa Bay Rays 7-3 in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series on Monday night.
asserted
Guardians → snap → night
Junior Caminero and Jonny DeLuca had RBI singles in the first and Cedric Mullins hit a solo homer for the Rays, who never trailed in a three-game sweep of the New York Yankees in their AL Division Series.
asserted
who → have → Series
“It’s been a while since we lost, so I think that’s a good thing, and I know the guys will come back and respond tomorrow,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said.
asserted
Cash → lose → ?
Rookie left-hander Parker Messick starts for Cleveland, and right-hander Freddy Peralta takes the mound for the Rays.
asserted
Peralta → start → Rays
Five relievers combined for five innings of one-run, two-hit ball for the Guardians, who became only the 11th team to overcome an 0-2 deficit in a best-of-five playoff series with a victory over the Chicago White Sox on Saturday night.
asserted
who → combine → night
Cade Smith, who pitched in all five games against Chicago, tossed a perfect ninth.
asserted
who → pitch → ninth
“Obviously we came off an emotional series, had a quick turnaround.
asserted
we → come → turnaround
But these guys come ready to play every day.
asserted
guys → come → ?
Couldn’t be more proud of them,” Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said.
asserted
Vogt → say → them
“We got punched early.
asserted
We → punch → ?
And our pitching staff, credit to them, for stopping it and keeping us in the game as long as they did.
asserted
they → stop → game
And the offense came alive.”
asserted
offense → come → ?
Rasmussen took a 2-0 lead into the sixth before DeLauter led off with an opposite-field homer to left-center.
asserted
DeLauter → take → center
Bailey started the seventh with a towering shot to center that went a projected 436 feet, ending Rasmussen’s night.
asserted
that → start → night
Rasmussen took a no-hitter into the eighth in Game 1 of the ALDS against the Yankees.
asserted
Rasmussen → take → Yankees
José Ramírez opened the eighth with an infield single off Tyler Wells, and DeLauter ripped a double to right.
asserted
DeLauter → open → right
After Wells retired Jo Adell on a grounder to second, Ian Seymour entered.
asserted
Seymour → retire → second
Lowe lined an 0-2 pitch up the middle to drive in two, giving Cleveland a 4-2 lead.
asserted
Lowe → line → lead
Mullins connected off Erik Sabrowski for a solo shot in the bottom half.
asserted
Mullins → connect → half
Ramírez, whose two-run homer lifted Cleveland to a 2-0 win in Game 5 vs. Chicago, provided an insurance run with an RBI single in the ninth off Cole Sulser.
asserted
homer → lift → Sulser
Ramírez helped the Guardians get two more by breaking for third with two outs and two strikes on Adell.
asserted
Ramírez → help → Adell
Caminero ran to cover the bag and was out of position when Adell hit a sharp grounder toward third.
asserted
Adell → run → third
The ball rolled into left field for a two-run double.
asserted
ball → roll → double
A crowd of 35,361 fans waved yellow rally towels and rang cowbells at Tropicana Field in the Rays’ third appearance in the ALCS in the franchise’s 29 season-history.
asserted
crowd → wave → history
They were fired up when the 98-win Rays jumped ahead 2-0 in the first and Rasmussen battled to keep it there until the sixth.
asserted
Rasmussen → fire → sixth
Coming off that dominant performance against the Yankees, Rasmussen went six-plus tough innings.
asserted
Rasmussen → come → innings
The two-time All-Star right-hander, who was four outs from a no-hitter in a 1-0 victory against New York, allowed a hit to the second batter he faced and eight total, striking out seven.
asserted
he → allow → seven
Guardians starter Foster Griffin allowed two runs and five hits in four innings.
asserted
Griffin → allow → innings
The Rays allowed just 12 hits in three games against the Yankees but the Guardians got 14 in the series opener, including three apiece from Ramírez and DeLauter.
asserted
Guardians → allow → Ramírez
The Rays helped Rasmussen with outstanding defense.
asserted
Rays → help → defense
Nick Fortes threw out Ramirez trying to steal second in the first.
asserted
Fortes → throw → first
Caminero made an excellent play to retire Adell on a hard bouncer to third.
asserted
Caminero → make → third
Caminero short-hopped the ball with his backhand and fired a strong throw to first.
asserted
Caminero → hop → first
The Guardians had a runner on first with one out in the third when second baseman Ben Williamson robbed DeLauter of a hit that prevented a first-and-third jam.
asserted
that → have → jam
Williamson, who wasn’t on the ALDS roster, made a diving grab on DeLauter’s sharp grounder, got up and threw him out.
asserted
who → make → him
Rays slick-fielding shortstop Taylor Walls was 0 for 3 and left six runners on base.
asserted
Walls → field → base
He struck out with the bases loaded to end the first, lined out with a runner on in the fourth and grounded out with runners on first and second to end the sixth.
asserted
runner → strike → sixth
Messick took the loss in Game 1 of the AL Division Series, allowing two runs in 4 1/3 innings.
asserted
Messick → take → innings
He threw 2 1/3 innings in relief in a Game 4 victory, giving up two runs.
asserted
He → throw → runs
Messick had 11 strikeouts in the two appearances.
asserted
Messick → have → appearances
…and 2 more, not listed.
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