Guardians edge Rays 3-2 to take a 2-1 advantage in AL Championship Series
By Associated Press
October 15, 2026 at 4:07 PM EDT
Cleveland went in front on Petey Halprin's two-run home run in the fifth while Tampa Bay managed struck out 13 times. Game 4 is set for Friday, but the weather may come into play again.
Tampa Bay batters were the best in the majors at avoiding strikeouts this season. Nevertheless, the kept whiffing against the Cleveland Guardians in a tight, low-scoring Game 3 of the American League Championship Series.
Slugger Junior Caminero accounted for four of the Rays’ 13 K’s during a 3-2 defeat on Thursday that dropped Tampa Bay into a 2-1 deficit in the best-of-seven series.
“That’s just a testament to their team, man,” said Chandler Simpson, who had a two-run triple that put the Rays ahead 2-1 in the fourth inning. “It’s just good pitching, mixing up things and keeping everything over the plate. This is really a dog fight. It’s like we’re looking in the mirror, almost.”
The lead lasted an inning, when the Guardians’ emotional leader, Petey Halpin, hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the fifth and followed with a majestic bat flip.
“It’s the second time he’s kind of picked us up in a big spot this year. And a really fun moment for him, great swing,” Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said.
Patrick Bailey started the fifth with a chop that Rays starting pitcher Griffin Jax was unable to cleanly field. Five pitches later, Halpin connected on a elevated 95.9-mph sinker on a 2-2 count and drove it 385 feet into the stands in right-center for a 3-2 lead.
ALSO READ: Tampa takes another step toward helping to pay for a new Rays stadium
Halpin watched the ball clear the wall then launched his bat over his head and into the sky before rounding the bases. The bat might have gone higher than the 25-degree launch angle on his homer.
“I definitely threw it high. I think just the moment and that being for sure the biggest moment of my career, just the energy and the excitement, just kind of let it go,” Halpin said.
Rays manager Kevin Cash said Jax wouldn't have been able to make a play on Bailey's chop, especially with the jump Bailey got leaving the batter's box. The sinker to Halpin leaked over the plate.
“He does a good job handling off-speed, so it was the right pitch. Just the wrong location," Jax said.
The home run and the bat flip energized Cleveland's dugout and the 30,101 fans in attendance at Progressive Field. Even though the game wasn't sold out, it was a strong crowd after the start time was moved up five hours on Wednesday due to the threat of rain.
Game 4 is scheduled for Friday, though rain again is forecast. As of late Thursday, first pitch has moved back to 8 p.m. because of the Milwaukee Brewers sweep over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series.
Gavin Williams struck out nine over five innings. José Ramírez had two hits and Nathaniel Lowe added an RBI double in the second inning for the Guardians.
Tampa Bay had three hits and went 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position, dropping to 6-for-35 in six postseason games.
The Rays struck out as many as 13 times in a game just once, 14 in a 3-2 win at Milwaukee on March 30. They had only 1,145 during the season, a major-league low.
ALSO READ: Tropicana Field will host watch parties for Rays' playoff games in Cleveland
“Believe me, I don’t want to strike out four times,” Caminero said through interpreter Kevin Vera. “They’ve been pitching really well, but that’s what they do. We just have to make adjustments for the next game. Plain and simple.”
Cleveland retired 16 of the Rays' last 17 batters. Daniel Espino, Erik Sabrowski, Hunter Gaddis and Cade Smith allowed only one runner over the final four innings.
Smith stranded a runner at third base in the eighth when he used a 98-mph fastball to strike out Yandy Díaz in a 10-pitch at-bat, then retired the Rays in order in the ninth.
“He’s one of the best closers in the league for a reason,” Díaz said through Vera. “And he’s the one who got the better hand today. “Look, we’re not a team that strikes out a lot in the regular season, but I think our swings have actually been pretty good. We just need to put the ball in play.”
It is the first time the Rays trailed 2-1 in three ALCS appearances.
“Two runs on two hits. You got to be perfect to win games like that,” Cash said.
Slugger Junior Caminero accounted for four of the Rays’ 13 K’s during a 3-2 defeat on Thursday that dropped Tampa Bay into a 2-1 deficit in the best-of-seven series.
“That’s just a testament to their team, man,” said Chandler Simpson, who had a two-run triple that put the Rays ahead 2-1 in the fourth inning. “It’s just good pitching, mixing up things and keeping everything over the plate. This is really a dog fight. It’s like we’re looking in the mirror, almost.”
The lead lasted an inning, when the Guardians’ emotional leader, Petey Halpin, hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the fifth and followed with a majestic bat flip.
“It’s the second time he’s kind of picked us up in a big spot this year. And a really fun moment for him, great swing,” Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said.
Patrick Bailey started the fifth with a chop that Rays starting pitcher Griffin Jax was unable to cleanly field. Five pitches later, Halpin connected on a elevated 95.9-mph sinker on a 2-2 count and drove it 385 feet into the stands in right-center for a 3-2 lead.
ALSO READ: Tampa takes another step toward helping to pay for a new Rays stadium
Halpin watched the ball clear the wall then launched his bat over his head and into the sky before rounding the bases. The bat might have gone higher than the 25-degree launch angle on his homer.
“I definitely threw it high. I think just the moment and that being for sure the biggest moment of my career, just the energy and the excitement, just kind of let it go,” Halpin said.
Rays manager Kevin Cash said Jax wouldn't have been able to make a play on Bailey's chop, especially with the jump Bailey got leaving the batter's box. The sinker to Halpin leaked over the plate.
“He does a good job handling off-speed, so it was the right pitch. Just the wrong location," Jax said.
The home run and the bat flip energized Cleveland's dugout and the 30,101 fans in attendance at Progressive Field. Even though the game wasn't sold out, it was a strong crowd after the start time was moved up five hours on Wednesday due to the threat of rain.
Game 4 is scheduled for Friday, though rain again is forecast. As of late Thursday, first pitch has moved back to 8 p.m. because of the Milwaukee Brewers sweep over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series.
Gavin Williams struck out nine over five innings. José Ramírez had two hits and Nathaniel Lowe added an RBI double in the second inning for the Guardians.
Tampa Bay had three hits and went 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position, dropping to 6-for-35 in six postseason games.
The Rays struck out as many as 13 times in a game just once, 14 in a 3-2 win at Milwaukee on March 30. They had only 1,145 during the season, a major-league low.
ALSO READ: Tropicana Field will host watch parties for Rays' playoff games in Cleveland
“Believe me, I don’t want to strike out four times,” Caminero said through interpreter Kevin Vera. “They’ve been pitching really well, but that’s what they do. We just have to make adjustments for the next game. Plain and simple.”
Cleveland retired 16 of the Rays' last 17 batters. Daniel Espino, Erik Sabrowski, Hunter Gaddis and Cade Smith allowed only one runner over the final four innings.
Smith stranded a runner at third base in the eighth when he used a 98-mph fastball to strike out Yandy Díaz in a 10-pitch at-bat, then retired the Rays in order in the ninth.
“He’s one of the best closers in the league for a reason,” Díaz said through Vera. “And he’s the one who got the better hand today. “Look, we’re not a team that strikes out a lot in the regular season, but I think our swings have actually been pretty good. We just need to put the ball in play.”
It is the first time the Rays trailed 2-1 in three ALCS appearances.
“Two runs on two hits. You got to be perfect to win games like that,” Cash said.