ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WINK) — The Tampa Bay Rays are one win away from reaching the World Series for the third time in franchise history.
They took down the Cleveland Guardians in Game 5 of the American League Division Series 3-1 to take a 3-2 series lead. The Rays struck early, scoring a run in each of the first three innings and never trailed the rest of the way thanks to more superb pitching.
Drew Rasmussen went seven innings of four-hit ball, allowing just one run and striking out six. His only blemish was a seventh inning RBI groundout from Guardians’ Chase DeLauter, but he found his way out of that jam one batter later.
Tampa Bay scored in the first inning via a Jonny DeLuca walk. Jonathan Aranda drove in a run with an RBI single in the second.
Liam Hicks followed suit in the third with one of his own, giving the Rays an early 3-0 advantage.
Game 6 is scheduled for 8 p.m. EST on Monday in St. Petersburg on TBS.
If the Guardians stay alive and win, the two teams will run it back for Game 7 on Tuesday, same time and place.