Read the Rays side (the whole game, score included)
Tampa Bay at Cleveland
This is Missed It. Tampa Bay at Cleveland, Saturday, October seventeenth, with the Rays. 46 and partly cloudy at Progressive Field. You missed it? Here's the whole game, as it happened.
Pregame
We are in Cleveland for game four of this seven-game series, and we needed this one. The Rays come in at one and two, the Guardians at two and one, and Cleveland has been holding the series lead at two games to one. This is the kind of game that sets the tone for the rest of the week. Win this one, and we're right back in it. Lose it, and we're climbing uphill. The bats have been quiet, the energy has been close, and tonight is about finding a spark. Let's see if we can square this thing up.
Innings 1-3
The game starts clean. We send four batters to the plate in the top of the first and come away with nothing, and the score sits at zero-zero. It's a quiet start, the kind where you're just trying to feel out the pitcher, get a read on the ball, and not give anything away. We don't. But Cleveland doesn't waste much time. Bottom of the first, one out, and they've got a runner on. Chase DeLauter steps in and rips a sharp line drive to right field, and Victor Mesa Jr. is chasing it down. Steven Kwan is on the move from first, and he's coming around to score. The ball gets back in quickly, Mesa Jr. to Taylor Walls, and they catch DeLauter trying to stretch it into second. He's out on the throw, but the damage is done. Kwan scores, and just like that, it's one-nothing Cleveland. A run on a line drive, a smart aggressive send, and we're chasing from the very first inning. It stings, but it's early. We go down in order in the top of the second, three batters, no noise. Cleveland does the same in the bottom half, and we're still staring at one-nothing as we move to the third. Then, in the top of the third, with two outs and nobody on, Yandy Díaz steps up and absolutely smokes a sharp line drive to right field. Chase DeLauter gives chase, but it's past him, and Díaz is standing on second with a double. Just like that, there's life. And we don't let it go to waste. Jonathan Aranda follows with a line drive to center field, Petey Halpin can't get there, and Díaz is off to the races. He scores, Aranda is on first, and we've tied this game at one-one. That's the kind of response we needed. Two outs, nobody on, and we scratch out a run. The dugout feels it. The scoreboard feels it. We're back in this thing. Cleveland goes down in order in the bottom of the third, and we head to the fourth tied at one apiece.
Innings 4-6
The middle innings are a grind. We send four batters up in the top of the fourth and get nothing. Cleveland sends three up in the bottom half and gets nothing. We go three up, three down in the fifth. They do the same. It's one-one, and it feels like the next run is going to decide everything. Both sides are pitching, both sides are playing defense, and nobody is giving an inch. This is the kind of game where one swing, one mistake, one break is going to be the difference. And in the top of the sixth, we get our break. No outs, and Jonathan Aranda is on first. Chandler Simpson steps in, works the count, and draws a walk. Now we've got two on, nobody out, and the top of the order is coming up. This is the moment. Junior Caminero digs in, and he doesn't miss. A sharp line drive to left field, Steven Kwan is running, but it's over his head. Aranda scores from second, Simpson is rounding third and heading home, but they hold him at third. It's two-one, Rays. That double is the hit we've been waiting for. The dugout erupts, the bench is up, and for the first time tonight, we've got the lead. Caminero comes through in the biggest spot of the game so far, and now we've got to hold it. Cleveland sends five batters to the plate in the bottom of the sixth, and we keep them off the board. Two-one, Rays, heading to the seventh.
The Stretch
Let's take a breath here, because this game has been a knife fight. The play that turned it was Junior Caminero's double in the top of the sixth. Two on, nobody out, tie game, and he just ripped it. That's the hit that gave us the lead, and it changed everything about how we're playing. We're not chasing anymore. We're ahead, and now we've got to add on. We've got to put pressure on them, keep the foot down, and not let Cleveland breathe. This is our game to take now.
The Sequence
Bottom of the sixth, we hold them. Five batters, no runs, and we're still up two-one. Now it's the top of the seventh, and this is where the game gets away from Cleveland. One out, two on, and Jonathan Aranda is at the plate. He's already got a hit tonight, and he's seeing the ball well. He lines one to right field, and Chase DeLauter is coming in on it. Richie Palacios scores from third. Taylor Walls is rounding third, and he scores too. Aranda is hustling into second, and the throw from DeLauter is off. It gets past the cutoff, Aranda takes third on the error, and just like that, it's four-one. Two runs score on one swing, and the error makes it worse for Cleveland. The crowd is quiet. Our dugout is loud. This is the inning. One out, runner on third, and Chandler Simpson steps in. He gets a pitch he can handle and lifts it to right field. DeLauter settles under it, makes the catch, and Aranda tags from third. He scores easily. Five-one, Rays. A sacrifice fly, a textbook run, and we've blown this game open. Three runs in the inning, and Cleveland is reeling. But they're not done. Bottom of the seventh, two outs, nobody on, and Travis Bazzana gets a pitch he likes. He sends a line drive to right field, and it just keeps carrying. It's gone. A solo homer, and it's five-two. The crowd stirs, but we're still up three. We send three batters up in the top of the eighth and get nothing. Cleveland sends four up in the bottom half, and we keep them off the board. Five-two, heading to the ninth. Top of the ninth, one out, and Richie Palacios is on first. Yandy Díaz steps in, and he's already got a double tonight. He gets a pitch he can drive, and he doesn't miss. A fly ball to right field, and it's gone. Two-run homer, and it's seven-two. That's the dagger. That's the one that puts this game to bed. Cleveland gets three batters in the bottom of the ninth, and we shut the door. Seven-three, final.
Wrap-up
That's a win. Seven-three, and we needed every bit of it. The Rays are now two and two, and Cleveland is two and two, and this series is tied at two games apiece with three to play. We came into Cleveland down two games to one, and we've squared it up. The bats came alive when it mattered, the pitching held when we needed it, and now this series is a best of three. We've got the momentum, and we've got the confidence. Let's keep it rolling.
Outro
That was Tampa Bay at Cleveland, from the Rays side. This has been Missed It. Every game, both sides, at missed it dot net. Produced by James Barrett.
Read the Guardians side (the whole game, score included)
Tampa Bay at Cleveland
This is Missed It. Tampa Bay at Cleveland, Saturday, October seventeenth, with the Guardians. 46 and partly cloudy at Progressive Field. You missed it? Here's the whole game, as it happened.
Pregame
It's Game 4 of this seven-game series at home, and we've got the Tampa Bay Rays in town. The Guardians come in at two and one, leading this series two games to one, while the Rays sit at one and two. We've got a chance to put a stranglehold on this thing tonight, to push the lead to three games to one and really make these next three count. The energy in this building should be something else. Let's go get it.
A Quiet Start, Then A Spark
the top of the first, score 0 to 0. The Rays send four batters to the plate in the first, and we send them right back. No runs, no damage, just a clean inning to get us going. The crowd is into it from the first pitch. the bottom of the first, score still 0 to 0. We get something going early. With one out and a runner on, Chase DeLauter steps in and rips a sharp line drive to right field. Victor Mesa Jr. is out there, and he's going to have to make a play. The ball gets down, and here comes Steven Kwan from first. He's flying around the bases, and he scores. We're up 1 to 0. But DeLauter, he's thinking about that extra base. He rounds first and heads for second. Mesa Jr. comes up firing, the throw comes in to shortstop Taylor Walls, and DeLauter is tagged out at second. It's a run scored, but we lose the runner. Still, we've got the lead. One to nothing, Guardians. the top of the second, score 0 to 1. The Rays send three batters up, and three batters go down. Quick inning. We're rolling. the bottom of the second, score 0 to 1. Three batters for us, nothing doing. We're still up by one, but we'd like to add on. the top of the third, score 0 to 1. This is where the game starts to tighten up. Two outs, bases empty, and Yandy Díaz digs in. He gets a pitch he likes and drives a sharp line drive to right field, where Chase DeLauter is patrolling. It's a double. Just like that, the Rays have a runner in scoring position with two outs. And they make us pay. Jonathan Aranda steps up and lines a single to center field. Petey Halpin is out there, but he's not getting to this one. Yandy Díaz comes around to score, and just like that, it's tied. One to one. That one stings a little, because we were one out away from getting out of it clean. But it's a new ballgame now. the bottom of the third, score 1 to 1. Three batters, no runs. We're knotted up after three.
The Middle Innings Grind
the top of the fourth, score 1 to 1. The Rays send four batters up, and we hold them. No runs. We're still tied. the bottom of the fourth, score 1 to 1. Three batters for us, and we can't get anything going. This one is turning into a pitcher's duel, and we need a break. the top of the fifth, score 1 to 1. Three batters, no runs for Tampa Bay. We're trading zeroes, and that's fine. We just need to find a way to scratch one across. the bottom of the fifth, score 1 to 1. Three batters, no runs for us. The tension is building. Somebody has to blink. the top of the sixth, score 1 to 1. This is where it starts to slip. No outs, and Jonathan Aranda is on first. Chandler Simpson comes up, and he works a walk. Now there are two on, nobody out, and the Rays are threatening. Junior Caminero steps in, and he doesn't miss. He drives a sharp line drive to left field, where Steven Kwan is camped out. But this one is over his head. Jonathan Aranda scores from second, and Chandler Simpson moves to third. It's 2 to 1, Tampa Bay. That's a big blow, because we had a chance to get out of the inning, and instead they've grabbed the lead. We need an answer.
The Game Turns
the bottom of the sixth, score 2 to 1. We send five batters to the plate, and we can't push a run across. The lead holds. We're down one, and we're running out of time. the top of the seventh, score 2 to 1. This is where it gets away from us. One out, two on, and Jonathan Aranda is back up. He lines a single to right field, and Chase DeLauter is coming up to make the play. Richie Palacios scores. Taylor Walls scores. And then it gets worse. DeLauter misplays the ball, and the error allows Jonathan Aranda to advance to third. It's 4 to 1, and the air has gone out of the building. We're not done yet, though. Chandler Simpson comes up with one out and a runner on third, and he lifts a sacrifice fly to right field. Chase DeLauter makes the catch, and Jonathan Aranda tags and scores. It's 5 to 1. That's a gut punch. We were in this game, and now we're staring at a four-run deficit. the bottom of the seventh, score 5 to 1. We need a spark. Two outs, bases empty, and Travis Bazzana steps in. He gets a pitch he can handle, and he doesn't miss it. He drives a line drive to right field, and it just keeps carrying. That ball is gone. Home run. It's 5 to 2, and the crowd finds its voice again. We're not dead yet. We've got life. the top of the eighth, score 5 to 2. Three batters for Tampa Bay, and we hold them. No runs. We're still down three, but we've got the bats coming up. the bottom of the eighth, score 5 to 2. Four batters for us, and we can't push anything across. The clock is ticking. We're down to our last three outs. the top of the ninth, score 5 to 2. The Rays are looking to put this one away. One out, a runner on, and Yandy Díaz steps in. He gets a pitch he likes, and he drives it to right field. That ball is gone. Home run. Richie Palacios scores ahead of him, and it's 7 to 2. The dagger. We're down five, and we've got one more chance. the bottom of the ninth, score 7 to 2. Three batters. No runs. It's over. Final score, 7 to 3.
The Sequence
Let's slow this down, because this is where the game was decided. the bottom of the sixth, we're down 2 to 1, and we send five batters to the plate. We can't push a run across. The lead holds. Then the top of the seventh, one out, two on, and Jonathan Aranda singles to right field. Richie Palacios scores. Taylor Walls scores. And then the error by Chase DeLauter lets Aranda get to third. It's 4 to 1. Chandler Simpson follows with a sacrifice fly, and Aranda scores. It's 5 to 1. the bottom of the seventh, two outs, bases empty, and Travis Bazzana homers to right. It's 5 to 2. We've got life. the top of the eighth, three batters, no runs. the bottom of the eighth, four batters, no runs. the top of the ninth, one out, a runner on, and Yandy Díaz homers to right. Richie Palacios scores. It's 7 to 2. the bottom of the ninth, three batters, no runs. Final, 7 to 3.
Where We Stand
That one hurts. We had the lead early, we were tied in the middle, and then it just got away from us in the seventh. The final is 7 to 3, Tampa Bay. We're now two and two, and the Rays are two and two. The series is tied at two games apiece, with three games to play. We've still got a chance to take this thing, but we need to bounce back. Tomorrow matters.
Outro
That was Tampa Bay at Cleveland, from the Guardians side. This has been Missed It. Every game, both sides, at missed it dot net. Produced by James Barrett.