(Best of seven)
- Game 1 – Guardians 7, Rays 3
- Game 2 – Rays 3, Guardians 1
- Game 3 – Guardians 3, Rays 2
- Game 4 – Postponed until Saturday at Cleveland, 8 p.m.
- Game 5 – Sunday at Cleveland, 5 p.m. (Cleveland leads series, 2-1)
- Game 6 – Monday at Tropicana Field (if necessary), 8 p.m.
- Game 7 – Tuesday at Tropicana Field (if necessary), 8 p.m.
TV: TBS
Radio: WDAE (95.7 FM/620 AM)
Game 4 of the American League Championship Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Guardians was postponed because of rain Friday night.
Major League Baseball was hoping there would be a three-hour window of dry weather in the Cleveland area to get the game in, but the showers never let up.
“It never cleared out the way they were hoping. It started to get later in the hour, and MLB and I think both clubs did everything they could to try to get it in,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “Made the most sense, like, at this point and this hour, with no guarantee that there wasn’t another band coming.”
The teams will resume their playoff series Saturday at 8 p.m., with Game 5 also at Progressive Field on Sunday at 5 p.m. If necessary, Game 6 is on Monday at 8 p.m. and Game 7 on Tuesday at 8 p.m., both at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg.
Click here to purchase tickets for Rays home playoff games.
“We knew how many days ago that today was going to be a challenge. Numerous weather calls, numerous back and forths, and ultimately MLB decided we needed to wait it out,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “Obviously, it’s an important game, and we need to make sure we’re doing everything we can to play the games when they’re scheduled. But MLB ultimately decided to wait this one out.”
It is the first time an ALCS game has been postponed since 2019, when the New York Yankees were hosting the Houston Astros.
The Guardians have a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series after Petey Halpin’s two-run homer propelled them to a 3-2 victory in Game 3 on Thursday afternoon.
Both teams will stick with their scheduled Game 4 starters from Friday. Cleveland will go with a bullpen game, with Shawn Armstrong being the opener. Nick Martinez will pitch for Tampa Bay.
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It will be Armstrong’s fifth appearance this postseason. The right-hander has allowed only one hit in 5⅓ innings with five strikeouts.
"Shawn Armstrong meant a lot to our club when he was there," Cash said. "He was one of our veteran pitchers in the bullpen, took on a leadership role. But, I mean, he's a guy that's been there, done that. And I think looking at his career path kind of coming full circle, from coming up with Cleveland and now finding success and pitching huge innings, it's a credit to him and the character that he is."
Martinez started Game 3 of the AL Division Series against the New York Yankees. He went 3⅔ innings, allowing two runs on five hits with a walk and three strikeouts. The right-hander was 15-6 during the regular season and ranked sixth in the AL with a 3.10 ERA. He was third in the AL with 26 starts in which he allowed three runs or fewer.
“It’s just like my starts throughout the year; it’s going to be a dogfight going in, just to see how many outs I can get for this team. It’s important,” he said Thursday.
ALSO READ: Guardians edge Rays 3-2 to take a 2-1 advantage in ALCS
The schedule now has the final four games of the series without a travel day off.
That could be welcome news for the Milwaukee Brewers, who have a week off before they open the World Series at home on Oct. 23 against the ALCS winner.
Milwaukee is in the Fall Classic for the first time since 1982 after completing a four-game sweep of the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Championship Series on Thursday night.
“We’ve got four games in a row. We have an opportunity to win some games and move on. And that’s all we’re focused on,” Vogt said.
Watch the games on the Trop’s videoboard
The Game 4 and 5 watch parties at Tropicana Field have been rescheduled due to Friday’s rainout. Gates will open an hour before first pitch on Saturday and Sunday.
Fans can watch the action on the 171-by-36-foot LED videoboard in the Trop's bowl area. The Rays are offering three levels of fan access.
An $8 general admission ticket includes the telecasts, on-field photo opportunities, access to the Cownose Clubhouse stingray tank, drawings, appearances by the Rays' mascots, food and drink for purchase, and more.
For $25, fans can enter an exclusive field area to play catch while watching the games. Bring your glove, and the Rays will provide tennis balls (for safety purposes, no hardball). General admission offerings are included. A minimum of two tickets must be purchased.
An all-inclusive $60 ticket gets you into the 162 Landing area on the field level in left field, and food, beer, wine and soft drinks are included in the price. Plus, there is access to the catch area and general admission amenities.
Prepaid parking in Lots 1 and 6 can be purchased for $5 on all three days.
Click here to purchase tickets or parking for the watch parties.
WUSF's Rick Mayer contributed to this report.
