Tampa Bay’s bullpen ran out of gas Monday night. After seven innings of hard-fought baseball in St. Petersburg, the Cleveland Guardians ran wild with five runs in the final two frames to win Game 1 of the ALCS, 7-3.
José Ramírez and Chase DeLauter of the Cleveland Guardians celebrate after scoring runs in the eighth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series at Tropicana Field on October 12, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Getty Images)
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The Rays drew first blood.
With two outs in the first, Junior Caminero and Jonny DeLuca hit back-to-back RBIs to give Tampa Bay a 2-0 lead. Rays starter Drew Rasmussen maintained that solid lead through five innings, striking out seven.
Cleveland finally broke Rasmussen in the sixth when Chase DeLauter jumped on a heater and launched an opposite-field solo shot over the right-center wall.
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Patrick Bailey even put Cleveland ahead in the seventh, hitting a solo shot down the right field line to end Rasmussen’s night at 2-2.
The Guardians kept up the pressure in the eighth against Tyler Wells and Ian Seymour. Ramirez lit the fire with an infield single, DeLauter hit a double down the line and Nathaniel Lowe delivered a two-run single to make it 4-2.
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Tampa Bay responded in the bottom of the eighth when pinch hitter Cedric Mullins ambushed Erik Sabrowski with a solo shot to right, cutting the deficit to 4-3.
Cedric Mullins of the Tampa Bay Rays rounds the bases after hitting an eighth-inning home run in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series against the Cleveland Guardians at Tropicana Field, Monday, October 12, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Florida. (MLB photos via Getty Images)
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Then José Ramírez delivered the final blow.
Capping a 3-for-5 night with two runs scored, Cleveland’s veteran third baseman came in with two outs in the ninth and lined an RBI single right past Cole Sulser to make it 5-3. After Sulser walked on DeLauter, Kevin Kelly came in to confront Jo Adell. The mid-season acquisition came in for the big moment, delivering a two-run double down the third-base line to put the game on ice at 7-3.
Cedric Mullins and Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrate after hitting a home run in the eighth inning against the Cleveland Guardians in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series at Tropicana Field on October 12, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Getty Images)
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Cleveland had 14 hits against six Tampa Bay arms, with Ramirez and DeLauter combining for six hits before Cade Smith slammed the door on six pitches.
The Rays entered Monday in great shape after sweeping the Yankees, but they left the field with all the pressure on them.
Game 2 is Tuesday night at Tropicana Field.
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