Halpin's two-run homer lifts Guardians past Rays 3-2 for 2-1 ALCS lead

How Game 3 was decided

The Cleveland Guardians beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 at Progressive Field on Thursday, Oct. 15, to take a 2-1 lead in the American League Championship Series. The game was played in the afternoon after MLB moved first pitch from 6 p.m. ET to 1 p.m. ET because rain was forecast for Thursday night. ^{[1] [2] [5]}

Cleveland scored first in the second inning when Nathaniel Lowe doubled to right field to bring home Jo Adell. Tampa Bay answered in the fourth, when Chandler Simpson tripled to right to score Yandy Díaz and Victor Mesa Jr. and give the Rays a 2-1 lead. ^{[1] [2]}

The deciding swing came in the fifth. After Patrick Bailey reached on an infield single that deflected off Rays reliever Griffin Jax, Petey Halpin drove a sinker over the wall in right-center for a two-run home run. AP reported the homer traveled 385 feet and was Halpin's first in the postseason. Jax took the loss. ^{[2] [1]}

Williams and the bullpen shut the door

Gavin Williams earned the win after allowing two runs on two hits over five innings with nine strikeouts. Cleveland's bullpen then retired 16 of the last 17 Rays batters, according to AP. Cade Smith struck out Díaz with a runner on third in the eighth inning and worked a perfect ninth for the save. ^{[2] [1] [4]}

Tampa Bay finished with three hits and struck out 13 times. MLB.com noted that Williams' strikeout rate this postseason is the highest in history among pitchers with at least 10 innings. ^{[1] [2]}

Halpin described his bat flip after the homer to MLB.com: "I don't know, I think I blacked out." ^[1]

How the series got here

Cleveland won Game 1 7-3 in Tampa Bay on Oct. 12. The Rays evened the series with a 3-1 win in Game 2 on Oct. 13, when Liam Hicks drove in two runs during a three-run fourth inning that followed a José Ramírez fielding error. ^{[3] [4]}

The Rays reached the ALCS by sweeping the New York Yankees in the Division Series, while the Guardians came back from an 0-2 deficit to beat the Chicago White Sox. ^{[1] [2]}

What comes next

Game 4 is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 16, at Progressive Field, with MLB listing a 6 p.m. ET start. MLB.com reported that the time could shift depending on the National League series, and rain is again in the Cleveland forecast. Game 5 is set for Saturday in Cleveland if needed. ^{[1] [2]}

Cleveland has not yet announced its Game 4 starter. ^[1]