When Cleveland Bullied Tampa Bay in Game 1, the Rays Bullpen Fell into a Shameful Crisis

A single from Jose Ramirez's ninth-inning hit sparked a four-run rally for the Cleveland Guardians, who defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 1-0 in ALCS Game 1.

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The Tampa Bay Bulls ran out of gas late Monday night. After seven innings of baseball in St. Petersburg, Cleveland's relievers broke through with five runs in the final two frames to take Game 1 of the ALCS 7-3.

Junior Caminero and Johnny DeLuca hit back-to-back RBI hits with two outs in the opening frame to give Tampa Bay a 2-0 lead. Rays starter Drew Rasmussen held the lead through five strong innings, striking out seven.

Cleveland finally broke Rasmussen in the sixth when Chase DeLaughter jumped on the heater and hit an opposite-field solo shot over the right-field wall.

Patrick Bailey got Cleveland even ahead in the bottom of the seventh with a solo shot down the right-field line to end Rasmussen's night at 2-2.

The Rangers kept the heat going in the eighth against Tyler Wells and Ian Seymour. Ramirez started the fire with a hustling infield single, DeLuther completed a two-out double and Nathaniel Lowe hit a leadoff, two-run single to make it 4-2.

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Tampa Bay answered in the bottom of the inning when Cedric Mullins lined Eric Sabrowski with a single to right to make it 4-3.

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Then Jose Ramirez delivered the knockout blow.

Ending a 3-for-5 night with two runs scored, Cleveland's veteran third baseman came on with two outs in the ninth and lined an RBI single to right off Cole Solser to make it 5-3. After Solskjaer sent De Latter off, Kevin Kelly came in to face Joe Adele. Purchase hit a major in the middle of the season, knocking a two-run home run down the third-base line to put the game on the ice at 7-3.

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Cleveland pounded out 14 hits against Tampa Bay's six, with Ramirez and DiLater combining for six before Cade Smith struck out six.

The Rays entered Monday riding high after sweeping the Yankees, but left the yard with all the pressure.

Game 2 is Tuesday night at Tropicana Field.

Alejandro Avila is a longtime OutKick writer living in Southern California.

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