Rays Struggle in Game 3 Against Guardians
Game 3 was moved from 6 p.m. ET to 1 p.m. ET because of weather, but it seems the Tampa Bay Rays’ offense didn’t quite notice. During their 3-2 defeat against the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday at Progressive Field, the Rays struggled significantly, managing only two runs on three hits. The Guardians’ pitching staff kept them in check, with the Rays going down in order for seven of the nine innings.
This early start was notably the earliest for an LCS game in the Eastern time zone since 1988, when the Dodgers and Mets faced off at 12:20 p.m. ET.
The Guardians struck first against Griffin Jax. Jo Adell walked after a successful challenge on a called strike, and he scored shortly after when Nathaniel Lowe hit a strong ball into right field, giving Cleveland a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning.
Adell advanced all the way from first when the ball slipped past right fielder Victor Mesa Jr., while Lowe made it to second. While Jax managed to get the next three outs to prevent further damage, it marked a wobbly start for the Rays.
Cleveland’s Gavin Williams was impressive at the beginning, retiring the Rays without a hit during the first round through the lineup. Yet, Rays first baseman Yandy Díaz finally broke through with a double that marked the team’s first baserunner of the game. After striking out Jonathan Aranda and Junior Caminero, Williams walked Mesa, adding another runner before escaping the jam.
That walk proved costly for Williams when Chandler Simpson came up next. He hit a line drive down the right-field line, bringing both Diaz and Mesa home and heading to third for a triple, giving the Rays a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning.
However, the Guardians came back in the fifth. Catcher Patrick Bailey began the inning with an infield single, and then Petey Halpin hit a two-run home run that sailed 385 feet over the right-center field wall. Halpin’s exuberance showed, as he celebrated by launching his bat into the air, though he later mentioned he might have gotten a bit carried away in the moment.
Shortly after Halpin’s home run, shortstop Bryan Rocchio hit a single. Rays’ manager Kevin Cash decided to pull Jax after giving up three runs on five hits over four-plus innings. Tyler Wells took over for the rest of the fifth to maintain the score at 3-2.
In a somewhat surprising move, Guardians manager Stephen Vogt replaced Williams after just 70 pitches, bringing in Daniel Espino. Williams had a solid outing, allowing only two runs on two hits, striking out nine batters over his five innings.
While this pitching change raised eyebrows, the Guardians’ bullpen continued to dominate. Espino and Erik Sabrowski held the Rays in check during the sixth and seventh innings, while Hunter Gaddis came in during the eighth to face some challenging situations but allowed a double to Richie Palacios.
Palacios made it to third after a groundout from Taylor Walls, setting the stage for Cade Smith, the Guardians’ closer. He faced Yandy Díaz in a crucial moment and struck out Díaz after a lengthy 10-pitch showdown. In the ninth, Smith easily retired the 2-4 hitters in the order, completing a four-out save and helping secure the win as the Guardians pitching staff retired 16 of the final 17 batters.
Game 4 is slated for Friday, though weather conditions might cause delays or even a postponement. The first pitch is expected at 6 p.m. ET.
