Probable pitchers: Rays’ RHP Freddy Peralta vs. Guardians’ LHP Parker Messick
Where to watch: TBS/HBO MAX, TruTV, Univision/ TUDN
The Guardians come into tonight’s Game 2 of the ALCS looking to take control of the series, while the Rays hope to even the series before heading up to Cleveland.
Tampa Bay and Cleveland came into Game 1 of the ALCS off of very different ALDS performances. The Rays breezed through a sweep of the Yankees, having only allowed five runs across the three games. Cleveland, on the other
hand, came back from a 0-2 deficit to win three in a row and send the Chicago White Sox home in the most dramatic of this year’s Division Series. And so, as we’ve seen many times in baseball before, Game 1 saw the hot team beat the rested team, with the Guardians stealing a game in Tropicana Field.
Game 1 was won largely off the brilliance of José Ramírez and rookie Chase DeLauter. The Maryland-born DeLauter got Cleveland on the board with a solo HR in the 6th, setting the stage for Cleveland’s comeback. After Patrick Bailey homer tied it at 2 in the 7th, before Ramírez and DeLauter sparked the winning rally in the 8th.
J-Ram started the inning with a single and move to third on DeLauter’s double. Nathaniel Lowe then singled up the middle off Tyler Wells to give the Guardians a 4-2 and put them up for good. Cedric Mullins hit a solo homer in the bottom of the 8th to cut the deficit in half, but Ramírez and DeLauter would spark a three-run rally in the 9th to seal Cleveland’s victory.
Game 2 now sees a matchup of All-Stars Freddy Peralta and Parker Messick. Peralta continued his resurgence with the Rays in Game 2 of the ALDS, putting up a line of 4.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB and 3 Ks in a 5-2 win over the Yankees. That start lowered Peralta’s ERA to 3.15 since joining the Rays at the trade deadline, and 1.10 since the beginning of September.
The rookie southpaw Messick was brilliant in the regular season, but only so-so in two games against the White Sox. He took the loss in Game 1 against Chicago after allowing 2 runs across 4.2 IP while striking out six. In Game 4, he exited early due to a lack of control, walking 4 and allowing 2 runs in only 2.1 innings. Messick had a 1.35 ERA across 13.1 innings with 15 Ks against the Rays in the regular season. Peralta did not face the Guardians this year, last pitching against Cleveland in a 5-0 loss last year with Milwaukee.
