Guardians Rally Past Rays 7-3 in ALCS Game 1 Behind Lowe’s Clutch Hit
CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Guardians continued their improbable October run on Monday night, defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 7-3 in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series at Progressive Field. Nathaniel Lowe snapped an eighth-inning tie with a two-run single, capping a late rally that stole home-field advantage from the Rays and gave Cleveland a 1-0 series lead. The Guardians had trailed early but chipped away against one of the AL’s best pitchers, Drew Rasmussen, before breaking through in the decisive eighth.nnThe Rays jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning on RBI singles by Junior Caminero and Jonny DeLuca, and Cedric Mullins added a solo homer later to keep Tampa Bay ahead. But Cleveland’s bats woke up against Rasmussen. Chase DeLauter and Patrick Bailey each homered to erase the deficit, and Jose Ramirez once again delivered in a big spot, sparking a go-ahead rally. Jo Adell then rewarded Ramirez’s veteran presence with a two-run double to left field, extending the Guardians’ cushion to four runs and putting the game out of reach.nnOn the mound, Foster Griffin delivered a short but solid start for Cleveland, keeping the Rays within striking distance before the bullpen shut the door. The victory marks the Guardians’ latest upset in a postseason full of them, as they continue to defy expectations. For Tampa Bay, the loss was a rare setback—the Rays had not trailed at any point during a three-game sweep of the New York Yankees in the AL Division Series. “It’s been a while since we lost, so I think that’s a good thing, and I know the guys will come back and respond tomorrow,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said after the game.nnLowe, who made his major league debut with Tampa Bay in 2019 and won a World Series with Texas in 2023, provided the biggest hit of the night against his former organization. The Guardians now lead the ALCS 1-0 and will look to keep their momentum going as they aim for an improbable pennant. Game 2 is
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