The Tampa Bay Rays are one win away from the World Series — and they’ve come out swinging. In ALCS Game 6 at Tropicana Field, the Rays struck early and hold a 2-0 lead over the Cleveland Guardians in the bottom of the second inning, with “Fastball” Freddy Peralta dealing on the mound.
Freddy Peralta (Credits: ESPN)
Tampa Bay leads the best-of-seven series 3-2 after back-to-back wins in Cleveland, including a 3-1 victory in Game 5 on Sunday behind Drew Rasmussen’s seven-inning gem. The Guardians are facing elimination for the third time this postseason, having already survived a 2-0 ALDS deficit against the Chicago White Sox.
Peralta Dealing, Rays Rolling
The Rays turned to Peralta for the closeout, and it’s easy to see why. The right-hander is 6-0 with a 0.81 ERA over his last eight starts, with right-handed hitters going a measly 7-for-56 (.125) against him in that span. He threw six scoreless innings against Cleveland in Game 2, and the Guardians are seeing him for the third time — but their at-bats only started getting better late in Game 5.
Cleveland went with a bullpen game, sending opener Shawn Armstrong out first. Armstrong has been flawless this postseason, not allowing a run, but Tampa Bay’s lineup pounced for two early runs to give Peralta breathing room.
Guardians Running Out of Outs
Cleveland’s offense has gone quiet at the worst possible time, scoring just four runs across the last two games. Jose Ramirez, Steven Kwan, and Chase DeLauter need to find a way to crack Peralta’s fastball, or the Guardians’ season ends tonight. Manager Stephen Vogt ruled out Gavin Williams on short rest, so the bullpen will have to carry the night.
The stakes are massive: the winner faces the Milwaukee Brewers in the World Series, which opens Friday, October 23 at American Family Field. If Cleveland forces a Game 7, it’s set for Tuesday night at 8:08 PM ET, also at Tropicana Field. First pitch for Game 6 was 8:08 PM ET on TBS, truTV, and HBO Max.
Also Read: Rays One Win From World Series: Rasmussen’s 7-Inning Gem Downs Guardians 3-1 in ALCS Game 5
Source: ESPN — read the full story there.
