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CLEVELAND — Jose Ramirez linked for a two-run homer, Shane Bieber dominated Tampa Bay for 7 2/3 innings and the younger Cleveland Guardians performed with poise of their postseason debut, beating the Rays 2-1 within the wild-card opener on Friday.
Ramirez’s shot off Shane McClanahan within the sixth inning helped Cleveland finish an eight-game postseason dropping streak and left the membership one win from advancing in its first season because the Guardians.
Bieber, rocked in his solely different playoff look two years in the past, allowed simply three hits and struck out eight earlier than being lifted with a runner on within the eighth.
Emmanuel Clase took it from there, getting 4 outs for his first postseason save and ending a sport that took simply 2 hours, 17 minutes. Cleveland’s nearer led the majors with 42 saves within the common season.
Jose Siri homered for the Rays, who dropped their sixth straight sport general and should win Recreation 2 on Saturday to power a decisive Recreation 3. The collection winner performs the AL East champion New York Yankees within the Division Sequence beginning Tuesday within the Bronx.
With 17 gamers making MLB debuts, the Guardians entered missing playoff expertise. Nonetheless, Ramirez and Bieber have been right here earlier than, and each got here by means of for the AL Central champions.
And the Guardians, who performed “small ball” all season to win an sudden division title, leaned on energy for this win.
With Cleveland down 1-0 and operating out of outs, Ramirez delivered – as common.
Amed Rosario singled with one out within the sixth off McClanahan, and Ramirez, a four-time All-Star who completed second to Aaron Decide in RBI within the AL this season, drove a 1-1 changeup over the wall for simply his second postseason homer in 97 at-bats.
Because the red-towel waving followers in Progressive Area screamed, Rays supervisor Kevin Money appealed whether or not Rosario missed second. TV replays confirmed Ramirez slowing and touching the bag.
Whereas the umpires waited for an official ruling, the gang spontaneously sang “Jose … Jose … Jose,” like by no means earlier than, prompting Ramirez to come out for a curtain name. The house run stood and Cleveland had a slim lead it protected.
Siri’s one-out homer within the sixth – simply the second hit allowed by Bieber – gave the Rays a 1-0 lead. Siri flew out to deep heart in his first at-bat in third earlier than driving a 1-0 pitch over the fence.
Tampa Bay did not get its first hit of Bieber till the fifth, when Harold Ramirez bounced a single into heart. However Bieber buckled down and bought two outs earlier than putting out Christian Bethancourt, the right-hander’s third punch-out to finish an inning.
When he was lifted, Bieber obtained a thunderous ovation he tried to return by clapping into his glove.
Each Shanes, McClanahan and Bieber, have been seeking to rebound from poor playoff outings.
As a rookie final season, McClanahan pitched 5 scoreless innings in Recreation 1 of the ALDS towards Boston. Referred to as on to pitch in aid in Recreation 4, he gave up 5 runs and recorded solely two outs after which took out his frustration on a chair within the tunnel in Fenway Park.
Bieber’s solely postseason look was equally forgettable. In 2020, when he received the AL Cy Younger Award main the league in wins, strikeouts and ERA, Bieber was tagged for seven runs in simply 4 2/3 innings towards the Yankees within the wild card. Aaron Decide belted a two-run homer off him within the first.
Wake-Up Name
Guardians supervisor Terry Francona bought to the ballpark at 6 a.m., driving the same old route on a scooter from his downtown residence. The streets have been empty, six hours forward of the 12:07 first pitch.
“Not a lot happening,” stated Francona, a creature of behavior who wished to get in a pre-game swim.
The unusually early beginning time knocked some gamers off their routines.
“I am not essentially a morning individual,” Guardians Recreation 2 starter Triston McKenzie stated. “I awoke with loads of power.”
Up Subsequent
Rays: LHP Tyler Glasnow will likely be on a pitch rely in his third begin since coming back from Tommy John surgical procedure. It is his first postseason begin since Recreation 5 of the 2020 World Sequence. The left-hander threw 64 pitches in his final outing and Money will add one inning “and 15 to twenty extra pitches” to Glasnow’s workload. He is 2-5 with 6.56 ERA in eight postseason begins.
Guardians: McKenzie makes his first postseason begin. The lanky right-hander went 2-0 with a 2.09 ERA in his final six begins, putting out 41 in 38 2/3 innings. Extra importantly, he solely walked 5 after being affected by wildness earlier this season.
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