Guardians edge Rays 3-2 for 2-1 ALCS lead

CLEVELAND – Petey Halpin hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning Thursday to give the Cleveland Guardians a 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays and a 2-1 lead in the American League Championship Series.

Game 3 at Progressive Field was a close, low-scoring game. Cleveland took the first run in the second inning on an RBI double by Nathaniel Lowe. Tampa Bay moved ahead in the fourth when Chandler Simpson tripled home two runs. Halpin’s homer in the bottom of the fifth put Cleveland back in front for good, according to Bleacher Report’s game account.

Gavin Williams earned the win, allowing two hits and two earned runs over five innings with nine strikeouts and one walk. Cade Smith worked 1 1/3 innings for the save and struck out two. Griffin Jax took the loss for the Rays, giving up three earned runs on five hits in four innings with two strikeouts and two walks.

Cleveland’s bullpen allowed one hit over four innings and struck out four, while Tampa Bay managed only three hits in the game.

The Guardians now lead the best-of-seven series 2-1. Cleveland won Game 1 by a 7-3 score on Monday, and Tampa Bay answered with a 3-1 victory in Game 2 on Tuesday.

Game 4 is scheduled for Friday in Cleveland. Starting pitchers had not been announced in the game reports reviewed.

In the National League, the Milwaukee Brewers lead the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-0 in the NLCS, with Game 4 set for Thursday night in Los Angeles. The winners of the two series will meet in the World Series.

Via Fox 13 and Bleacher Report.

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