In the team's 3-2 loss to the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday at Progressive Field, the offense was dormant.The Rays scored just two runs on three hits, as the Guardians' pitching staff shut them down.
In seven of the nine innings, the Rays went down in order.The 1 p.m.start was the earliest for an LCS game in the Eastern time zone since 1988, when the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets played Game 5 of the NLCS at 12:20 p.m.
ET.CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGECleveland Guardians' Petey Halpin celebrates after a two-run home run during the fifth inning in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series against the Tampa Bay Rays in Cleveland on Thursday, Oct.15, 2026.
(AP Photo/Phil Long)The Guardians bats struck first off Griffin Jax.Jo Adell worked a walk (after successfully overturning a called strike with the automated ball-strike challenge system), and was driven in one batter later when Nathaniel Lowe ripped a ball into right field, taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning.Adell was able to score from first after the ball got away from right fielder Victor Mesa Jr., while Lowe advanced to second base.
Jax was able to strand Lowe by recording the next three outs.Gavin Williams was lights out to begin the game, retiring the Rays in order the first time through the lineup.However, Rays first baseman Yandy Díaz broke through, ripping a leadoff double into the left-center gap for the team’s first baserunner of the game.Williams struck out Jonathan Aranda and Junior Caminero but walked Mesa to put two runners on with two outs.Tampa Bay Rays' Chandler Simpson celebrates a two-run triple against the Cleveland Guardians during the fourth inning in Game 3 of an American League Championship Series baseball game in Cleveland, Thursday, Oct.
15, 2026.(AP Photo/David J.
Phillip)The two-out walk came back to burn Williams.Chandler Simpson laced a line drive down the right-field line, scoring both Díaz and Mesa while the speedster raced ...