Halpin's homer lifts Guardians past Rays 3-2 for 2-1 ALCS lead
Petey Halpin hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning as the Cleveland Guardians beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 on Thursday, USA Today and WKYC reported. Cleveland now leads the American League Championship Series 2-1. Game 4 is set for 6 p.m. ET Friday in Cleveland, MLB's schedule shows.
Petey Halpin hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning, and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 on Thursday to take a 2-1 lead in the American League Championship Series, USA Today and WKYC reported.
Rain in the forecast forced the game at Progressive Field to move from prime time to the afternoon, USA Today reported. It was set for 1 p.m. ET and started at 1:10 p.m., then took 2 hours, 28 minutes, before 30,101 fans, the MLB box score shows.
Cleveland scored first in the second inning on Nathaniel Lowe's RBI double, which scored Jo Adell, the box score shows. Tampa Bay took a 2-1 lead in the fourth when Chandler Simpson hit a two-run triple into the right-field corner off Gavin Williams, USA Today reported. Yandy Díaz and Victor Mesa Jr. scored, the box score shows.
In the fifth, Patrick Bailey led off with a single, USA Today reported. Halpin, a rookie, then hit a hanging 2-2 sinker from Rays starter Griffin Jax 385 feet into the right-center field stands, WKYC reported. He was playing center field and batting eighth, the box score shows. It was his first home run of the postseason, according to the box score.
Williams struck out nine over five innings, both outlets reported. He gave up two runs on two hits and one walk, the box score shows. Jax allowed three runs on five hits in four innings, with two walks and two strikeouts.
Daniel Espino, Erik Sabrowski and Hunter Gaddis followed with scoreless relief. Cade Smith stranded an inherited runner at third and retired the final four Rays, USA Today reported. He earned a four-out save, WKYC reported.
The win went to Williams, now 2-0 in the postseason, and the loss to Jax. Smith earned his second save. Tampa Bay had three hits and Cleveland six, and neither team made an error.
Cleveland won Game 1 7-3, and Tampa Bay won Game 2 3-1. Game 4 is set for 6 p.m. ET Friday at Progressive Field, with TV on TBS and truTV, MLB's schedule shows. Rain and wind might threaten it, USA Today reported.
What we know: Cleveland won Game 3 3-2 and leads the series 2-1.
What we don't: Whether weather will move Friday's Game 4.
Where outlets agree USA Today and WKYC both report that Halpin's two-run homer in the fifth gave Cleveland a 3-2 win and a 2-1 series lead, with Williams striking out nine.
Where they differ The outlets cited here report the same key facts so far.