Petey Halpin’s two-run homer lifts Guardians previous Rays for 2-1 ALCS lead
Petey Halpin hit a go-ahead two-run homer, Gavin Williams struck out 9 over 5 innings and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series on Thursday to take a 2-1 lead.
Game 4 of the best-of-seven sequence is scheduled for Friday, although rain is forecast.
José Ramírez had two hits and Nathaniel Lowe added an RBI for the Guardians, who’ve gained 5 of their final six playoff video games since falling 2-0 behind the Chicago White Sox of their AL Division Series.
Williams allowed two runs over 5 innings whereas strolling one. He is 2-0 with a 2.16 ERA and 33 strikeouts over 16 and two-thirds innings innings in 4 postseason appearances this 12 months, together with three begins.
Cleveland retired 16 of the Rays’ last 17 batters. Daniel Espino, Erik Sabrowski, Hunter Gaddis and Cade Smith mixed to permit only one baserunner over the ultimate 4 innings.
Smith stranded a runner at third within the eighth when he struck out Yandy Díaz after a 10-pitch at-bat, then retired the aspect so as within the ninth.
Tampa Bay went down so as in seven innings, with Junior Caminero placing out 4 occasions. Rays batters struck out 13 occasions in Game 3 after combining for 14 within the first two video games of the sequence.
Lowe opened the scoring with an RBI double within the second that bounced off the right-field fence and previous Victor Mesa Jr.
Chandler Simpson put the Rays forward with a two-run triple within the fourth.
Patrick Bailey led off the fifth with a chopper that pitcher Griffin Jax was unable to area cleanly. Halpin then linked on an elevated 95.9mph sinker on a 2-2 depend, driving it 385ft into the right-center-field stands to present Cleveland a 3-2 lead.
It was Halpin’s first postseason dwelling run and solely the fifth of his two-year main league profession. Jax had not allowed a homer since 9 September, a span of 5 appearances.
Williams didn’t enable a baserunner and struck out 5 the primary time by the order.
Jax allowed three runs on 5 hits and two walks in four-plus innings.
