{"id":880718,"date":"2026-10-13T10:34:14","date_gmt":"2026-10-13T10:34:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/880718\/"},"modified":"2026-10-13T10:34:14","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T10:34:14","slug":"rays-bullpen-suffers-embarrassing-late-meltdown-as-cleveland-bullies-tampa-bay-in-game-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/880718\/","title":{"rendered":"Rays bullpen suffers embarrassing late meltdown as Cleveland bullies Tampa Bay in Game 1"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Tampa Bay bullpen ran out of gas late Monday night. After seven innings of grind-it-out baseball in St. Petersburg, the Cleveland Guardians<\/a> broke loose with five runs over the final two frames to take Game 1 of the ALCS, 7-3.<\/p>\n

\"Jos\u00e9 <\/p>\n

Jos\u00e9 Ram\u00edrez and Chase DeLauter of the Cleveland Guardians celebrate after scoring runs during the eighth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series at Tropicana Field on Oct. 12, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (Getty Images)<\/p>\n

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The Rays drew first blood.<\/p>\n

With two outs in the opening frame, Junior Caminero and Jonny DeLuca ripped consecutive RBI knocks to put Tampa Bay up 2-0. Rays starter Drew Rasmussen kept that lead strong through five innings, punching out seven.<\/p>\n

Cleveland finally cracked Rasmussen in the sixth when Chase DeLauter jumped on a heater and launched an opposite-field solo shot over the right-center wall.<\/p>\n

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Patrick Bailey pulled Cleveland even leading off the seventh, hooking a solo blast down the right-field line to end Rasmussen’s night at 2-2.<\/p>\n

The Guardians kept the heat on in the eighth against Tyler Wells and Ian Seymour. Ramirez started the fire with a hustle infield single, DeLauter ripped a double down the line, and Nathaniel Lowe laced a go-ahead, two-run single to make it 4-2.<\/p>\n

WORLD SERIES CHAMPION SAYS POTENTIAL MLB LOCKOUT COULD ‘ABSOLUTELY’ CAUSE CANCELLED GAMES NEXT SEASON<\/a><\/p>\n

Tampa Bay answered in the bottom of the eighth when pinch-hitter Cedric Mullins ambushed Erik Sabrowski with a solo shot to right, trimming the deficit to 4-3.<\/p>\n

\"Cedric <\/p>\n

Cedric Mullins of the Tampa Bay Rays rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the eighth inning during Game 1 of the American League Championship Series against the Cleveland Guardians at Tropicana Field on Monday, Oct. 12, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (MLB Photos via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

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Then Jose Ramirez delivered the knockout blow.<\/p>\n

Capping a 3-for-5 night with two runs scored, Cleveland’s veteran third baseman stepped in with two outs in the ninth and lined an RBI single into right off Cole Sulser to make it 5-3. After Sulser walked DeLauter, Kevin Kelly entered to face Jo Adell. The mid-season acquisition stepped up to the big moment, ripping a two-run double down the third-base line to put the contest on ice at 7-3.<\/p>\n

\"Cedric <\/p>\n

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 Oct. 12, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (Getty Images)<\/p>\n

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Cleveland pounded out 14 hits against six Tampa Bay arms, with Ramirez and DeLauter combining for six knocks before Cade Smith slammed the door on six pitches.<\/p>\n

The Rays entered Monday riding high after sweeping the Yankees<\/a>, but they left the yard with all the pressure.<\/p>\n

Game 2 is Tuesday night at Tropicana Field<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com<\/a> \/ Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela<\/a><\/p>\n

Alejandro Avila is a longtime writer at OutKick, living in Southern California.\u00a0<\/p>\n