The Cleveland Guardians (66-70) defeated the Tampa Bay Rays (82-54) 7-6 on Saturday evening in Cleveland. The win gives Cleveland a series win over Tampa Bay going into the series finale on Sunday afternoon.
Yandy Diaz homered to lead off the game to give the Rays an early 1-0 lead before the Guardians scored the next four to take a 4-1 lead. Christian Bethancourt hit a three-run home run on his birthday to tie the game 4-4, before Jose Siri hit a solo blast that gave the Rays a 5-4 lead.
Steven Kwan tied the game for Cleveland with a RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning to force extras. After the Rays were unable to score in the top of the tenth, Bob Stephenson got three strikeouts on nine pitches in the bottom of the tenth (with an intentional walk mixed in as well).
In the eleventh, Brandon Lowe drove in the automatic runner to take a 6-5 lead. The Guardians rallied back once again in the bottom of the eleventh, getting two runs off Chris Devenski (3-3, 5.24) to get the win. For Devenski, it was his Rays debut after being claimed off waivers from the Angels earlier in the week.
The Rays will now look to avoid being swept by the Guardians when the two teams meet in the series finale on Sunday afternoon. First pitch on Sunday is scheduled for 4:10 PM - Chris Adams-Wall begins pregame coverage with This Week In Rays Baseball at 2:30 PM on 95.3 WDAE & AM 620, your Home of Rays Baseball.
PHOTO COURTESY GETTY IMAGES