CLEVELAND — Game 4 of the American League Championship Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Guardians was postponed because of rain Friday night.
asserted
Game → postpone → rain
Major League Baseball was hoping there would be a three-hour window of dry weather to get the game in, but the showers never let up.
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showers → hop → game
“It never cleared out the way they were hoping.
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they → clear → way
It started to get later in the hour, and MLB and I think both clubs did everything they could to try to get it in,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said.
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Cash → start → it
The teams will resume their playoff series Saturday at 8 p.m. ET, with Game 5 also at Progressive Field on Sunday at 5 p.m., and Game 6, if necessary, on Monday at 8 p.m. in St. Petersburg, Florida.
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teams → resume → Petersburg
“We knew how many days ago that today was going to be a challenge.
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today → know → ?
Numerous weather calls, numerous back and forths, and ultimately MLB decided we needed to wait it out
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we → decide → it
,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said.
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Vogt → say → ?
“Obviously it’s an important game, and we need to make sure we’re doing everything we can to play the games when they’re scheduled.
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they → ’ → games
But MLB ultimately decided to wait this one out.
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MLB → decide → one
It is the first time an ALCS game has been postponed since 2019, when the New York Yankees were hosting the Houston Astros.
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Yankees → postpone → Astros
The Guardians have a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series after Petey Halpin’s two-run homer propelled them to a 3-2 victory in Game 3 on Thursday afternoon.
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homer → have → afternoon
Both teams will stick with their scheduled Game 4 starters from Friday.
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teams → stick → Friday
Cleveland will go with a bullpen game, with Shawn Armstrong being the opener.
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Armstrong → go → game
Nick Martinez will pitch for Tampa Bay.
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Martinez → pitch → Bay
The right-hander has allowed only one hit in 5 1/3 innings with five strikeouts.
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hander → allow → strikeouts
Armstrong thought his season was done in late July when he strained a calf muscle, but he returned during the final week of the regular season.
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he → think → season
Armstrong was drafted by Cleveland in the 18th round in 2011 and made his big league debut four years later.
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Armstrong → draft → debut
He was traded to Seattle in 2017 and spent time with four other organizations, including Tampa Bay, before signing with the Guardians this season.
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He → trade → Guardians
“I think I said it to (Erik) Sabrowski, whenever we were standing in the outfield in Game 2 in Tampa — obviously I played here, I got drafted here, coming back here and being able to be in this situation is — words can’t describe it,” Armstrong said before Game 3 on Thursday.
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Armstrong → think → Thursday
Martinez started Game 3 of the Division Series against the New York Yankees.
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Martinez → start → Yankees
He went 3 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on five hits with a walk and three strikeouts.
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He → go → walk
The right-hander was 15-6 during the regular season and ranked sixth in the AL with a 3.10 ERA.
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hander → rank → ERA
He was third in the AL with 26 starts in which he allowed three runs or fewer.
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he → allow → runs
“It’s just like my starts throughout the year; it’s going to be a dogfight going in, just to see how many outs I can get for this team.
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I → ’ → team
It’s important,” he said Thursday.
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he → ’ → ?
The teams might have to play the final four games of the series without a day off, culminating in a potential Game 7 on Tuesday.
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teams → have → Tuesday
That could be welcome news for the Milwaukee Brewers, who have a week off before they open the World Series at home on Oct. 23 against the Cleveland-Tampa Bay winner.
uncertain
they → have → winner
Milwaukee is in the Fall Classic for the first time since 1982 after completing a four-game sweep of the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Championship Series on Thursday night.
“We’ve got four games in a row.
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We → complete → row
We have an opportunity to win some games and move on.
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We → have → games
And that’s all we’re focused on
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we → ’ → ?
,” Vogt said.
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Vogt → say → ?