ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Nathaniel Lowe hit a tiebreaking, two-run single in the eighth inning, Chase DeLauter and Patrick Bailey hit solo homers off Drew Rasmussen, and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-3 in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series on Monday night.

Junior Caminero and Jonny DeLuca had RBI singles in the first off Foster Griffin and Cedric Mullins hit a solo homer for the Rays, who never trailed in a sweep of the New York Yankees in their AL Division Series.

Game 2 is Tuesday night at Tropicana Field. Rookie lefty Parker Messick starts for Cleveland, and right-hander Freddy Peralta takes the mound for the 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.

Cleveland Guardians outfielder Angel Martinez (1) and shortstop Brayan Rocchio (4) celebrate after winning game one of the ALCS against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Cade Smith, who pitched in all five games against Chicago, tossed a perfect ninth.

Rasmussen took a 2-0 lead into the sixth before DeLauter led off with an opposite-field homer to left-center. Bailey started the seventh with a towering shot to center that went an estimated 436 feet, ending Rasmussen’s night.

Cleveland Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan (38), outfielder Angel Martinez (1) and outfielder Chase DeLauter (24) celebrate a win of game one of the ALCS against the Tampa Bay Rays during the MLB Playoffs at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Rasmussen took a no-hitter into the eighth in Game 1 of the ALDS against the Yankees.

José Ramírez led off the eighth with an infield single off Tyler Wells, and DeLauter ripped a double to right. After Wells retired Jo Adell on a grounder to second, Ian Seymour entered. Lowe lined an 0-2 pitch up the middle to drive in two, giving Cleveland a 4-2 lead.

Cedric Mullins (31) celebrates a homer on a fly ball to right field during the eighth inning of Game 1 of the American League Championship Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cleveland Guardians at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla., Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. ZUMAPRESS.com

Mullins connected off Erik Sabrowski in the bottom half.

Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (11) runs the bases against the Tampa Bay Rays during the eighth inning in game one of the ALCS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Ramirez, 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. He helped the Guardians get two more by breaking for third with two outs and two strikes on Adell. Caminero ran to cover the bag and was out of position when Adell hit a sharp grounder toward third. The ball rolled into left field for a two-run 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.

Nathaniel Lowe #46 of the Cleveland Guardians hits a two RBI single during the eighth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in game one of the American League Championship Series at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. Getty Images

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.

Coming off that dominant performance against the Yankees, Rasmussen went six-plus tough 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.

Griffin allowed two runs and five hits in four 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.