Guardians storm back to beat top-seeded Rays in opening game of ALCS

The Tampa Bay Rays beat the Cleveland Guardians 7-3 in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series on Monday, Oct. 12 at Tropicana Field, a state victory in which the visitors overcame a 2-0 deficit

against ace Drew Rasmussen.

Tampa Bay went ahead in the first inning with RBI singles from Junior Caminero and Jonny DeLuca facing Cleveland left-hander Foster Griffin. It stayed 2-0 until the top of the sixth, when Chase DeLauter hit a solo home run to cut the lead in half. Then Patrick Bailey led off the top of the seventh with the equalizer, chasing Rasmussen.

The Guardians have now won four games in a row, having rallied back from a 2-0 series deficit in the AL Division Series against the Chicago White Sox.

The Rays are one of five MLB franchises to have never won a World Series, while the Guardians' drought dating back to 1948 is the longest active streak for a team that's won before.

Guardians vs Brewers highlights

Cade Smith shuts the door

Game 1 of the ALCS belongs to Cleveland! pic.twitter.com/vnPYiANBa7

— MLB (@MLB) October 13, 2026

Guardians get insurance in the ninth

With two outs in the top of the ninth, Jose Ramirez hit an RBI single that brought home Angel Martinez to extend Cleveland's lead to 5-3.

Nathaniel Lowe gives Guardians the lead

In the top of the eighth, Nathaniel Lowe's single with runners on second and third brought in both runners, giving Cleveland its first lead of the game at 4-2.

GET LOWE!

Nathaniel Lowe's 2-run single puts the Guardians ahead in the 8th! pic.twitter.com/PiWTYtKuUJ

— MLB (@MLB) October 13, 2026

Patrick Bailey home run ties it up

Cleveland's Patrick Bailey led off the top of the seventh inning with a solo home run to tie the game 2-2, chasing Rays starter Drew Rasmussen.

Patrick Bailey ties the game with a solo shot! pic.twitter.com/U8nPaiucVO

— MLB (@MLB) October 13, 2026

Chase DeLauter home run for Guardians

Cleveland cut the 2-0 deficit in half in the top of the sixth inning on Chase DeLauter's solo home run off Rays starter Drew Rasmussen.

Chase DeLauter gets a run back for the Guardians! pic.twitter.com/dtYgH6QdbB

— MLB (@MLB) October 13, 2026

Through three: Rays 2, Guardians 0

Foster Griffin has retired seven straight Rays hitters after giving up two runs in the first inning at Tropicana Field.

What a catch by Foster Griffin for the out 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/1caIF3ns1z

— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) October 13, 2026

Guardians hitting Drew Rasmussen - but still can't score.

Rays ace Drew Rasmussen won't be taking a no-hitter into the eighth inning on this night. Far from it.

Rasmussen gave up four hits in the first two innings to the Guardians, yet Cleveland had nothing to show for it as the Rays retained a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the second.

He can thank his outfield defense for that. Right fielder Victor Mesa Jr. ranged over to cut off a Nathaniel Lowe line drive and threw a bullet to second base to hold Lowe to a single. After an out and a Patrick Bailey single, Petey Halpin drove a ball to left field that could have scored a pair of runs. Instead, Ryan Vilade - starting for speedster Chandler Simpson - ranged over to snag it for the second out. Rasmussen, coming off a dominant ALDS start against he Y

Rays jump on Guardians for two runs in first inning

Tampa Bay picked up right where it left off in sweeping the New York Yankees.

The Rays followed a scoreless first inning from Drew Rasmussen by plating two runs off Cleveland starter Foster Griffin to take a 2-0 lead in Game 1.

Jonny DeLuca's two-out, two-strike single to center field capped the uprising, which began with a leadoff double from Yandy Díaz and included an RBI single from Junior Caminero. The Rays banged out four hits off Griffin, who also hit Ben Williamson with a pitch before striking out Taylor Walls to escape. Griffin threw 29 pitches.

Carl Crawford throws first pitch

Love you, CC!#ForTampaBay | #Postseason pic.twitter.com/cW5NvkO5Qw

— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) October 13, 2026

What time is Rays vs Guardians game today?

First pitch in ALCS Game 1 is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET at Tropicana Field.

Guardians starting lineup today

1. Steven Kwan (L) LF
2. José Ramírez (S) 3B
3. Chase DeLauter (L) RF
4. Jo Adell (R) DH
5. Nathaniel Lowe (L) 1B
6. Travis Bazzana (L) 2B
7. Patrick Bailey (S) C
8. Petey Halpin (L) CF
9. Brayan Rocchio (S) SS

Rays lineup for Game 4

1. Yandy Díaz (R) DH
2. Jonathan Aranda (L) 1B
3. Junior Caminero (R) 3B
4. Ryan Vilade (R) LF
5. Victor Mesa Jr. (L) RF
6. Jonny DeLuca (R) CF
7. Ben Williamson (R) 2B
8. Taylor Walls (S) SS
9. Nick Fortes (R) C

Kevin Cash on pitching coach Kyle Snyder

"I'm certainly biased, but I think he's the best in baseball at what he does, the care that he shows each individual pitcher, whether it's in the offseason, spring training and obviously during the season – the way that he builds relationships and creates that trust within each individual pitcher," Rays manager Kevin Cash said before ALCS Game 1.

"And I think the way he's evolved. ... There's a lot of information out there right now about pitching. There has been for quite some time. I think Kyle's always at the forefront of being very curious to try to understand what that information is providing or saying. And he's the best at implementing it with individual pitchers."

Guardians-Rays ALCS schedule

• Game 1: Monday, Oct. 12 – Guardians at Rays – 8 p.m. ET
• Game 2: Tuesday, Oct. 13 – Guardians at Rays – 8 p.m. ET
• Game 3: Thursday, Oct. 15 – Rays at Guardians – 6 p.m. ET
• Game 4: Friday, Oct. 16 – Rays at Guardians – 6 p.m. ET
• Game 5*: Saturday, Oct. 17 – Rays at Guardians – 8 p.m. ET
• Game 6*: Monday, Oct. 19 – Guardians at Rays – 5 p.m. ET
• Game 7*: Tuesday, Oct. 20 – Guardians at Rays – 8 p.m. ET

ALCS predictions for Guardians vs Rays

• Bob Nightengale: Rays in 5
• Gabe Lacques: Rays in 5
• Jesse Yomtov: Rays in 6

Rays roster for ALCS

Got our guys 👇

ALCS tix: https://t.co/PRqOFP75na#ForTampaBay | #postseason pic.twitter.com/NN9YRgZ7qM

— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) October 12, 2026

Guardians ALCS roster

Our roster for the American League Championship Series is set.#GuardsBall | #StandGuard pic.twitter.com/TTbF8rYfuU

— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) October 12, 2026

'I'm getting old': Yandy Diaz will set Rays record

Before Game 1, Rays slugger Yandy Diaz was asked how he feels about the possibility he will set Tampa Bay's franchise record for playoff games played.

"I think that means one thing, it means I'm getting old," Diaz joked.

"But aside from that, I'm really happy. Really happy, and really grateful for this organization and how they've treated me. Just to be a part of this history, to have those many games in the postseason with this group is something really special and something I'm very proud of and something I'll cherish forever.

'Where is Guardians vs Rays game?

Games 1 and 2 of the AL Championship Series are at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, the home ballpark of the Tampa Bay Rays.

Have the Rays won a World Series?

The Tampa Bay Rays are one of five MLB franchises that has never won a World Series. The team began play in 1998 and reached the Fall Classic twice – 2008 and 2020.

When was Cleveland's last World Series win?

Cleveland last won the World Series in 1948, the longest active drought among teams to have previously won.

Who's left in MLB playoffs?

American League

• Tampa Bay Rays
• Cleveland Guardians

National League

• Milwaukee Brewers
• Los Angeles Dodgers

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Guardians storm back to beat top-seeded Rays in opening game of ALCS

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