‘Clean game’ eludes Rays; drop Game One of ALCS

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla – In the hours leading up the opening of the ALCS series, participants talked about playing and surviving in “a clean game” environment.

No mental and physical errors and an absence of that lack of execution.

In the opening game of this series, one team demonstrated the value of playing a “clean game” while the other was marginally involved.

Mistakes made by the usually steady Tampa Bay Rays gave life and breathing room to a team which capitalizes on mistakes and lack of execution at critical. The way the Cleveland Guardians took humble advantage of the opportunities given demonstrate that, for the Rays to survive in this series, the necessity of playing that “clean game” is of the upmost priority.

In breaking open a tight game in the late innings, Cleveland’s eventual 7-4 victory in game one before 35,361 in Tropicana Field on Oct. 12 showed how and why a team with resiliency and the ability to address immediate concerns can likely triumph in the end.

When righthander Drew Rasmussen was handed the ball from manager Kevin Cash to open this series for Tampa Bay, the notion of continued success was nearly a given. After all, here’s was Rasmussen coming off a stellar effort over the New York in game one of the ALDS and took a no-hitter into the eighth inning in that encounter.

Despite Cash’s post-game assertion that Rasmussen was ”outstanding and I thought he threw an incredible game,” there was evidence pointing in the opposite direction.

For the most part, Rasmussen was behind hitters most of the night and survived a 21-pitch first inning. Though Cleveland picked up two of their eventual 14 hits in the opening frame and did not score, that could have much different had not Jose Ramirez not been thrown out attempting to steal second.

Evidence of Rasmussen not as sharp as in previous starts was limiting Cleveland to only 1-2-3 inning and that was in the fifth. In all, the Guardians hit 27 foul balls against Rasmussen and that represented a strong club with hand-to-eye coordination.

Given an early 2-0 lead with a pair in the opening frame, Rasmussen was not careful with location. In the middle innings, and first, right-fielder Chase DeLauter took Rasmussen’s opening pitch of the sixth inning over the right field fence and catcher Patrick Bailey slammed Rasmussen opening pitch of the seventh inning over the right field fence to knot this game at 2-2.

The Guardians proceeded to break this open with two in the eight and three in the ninth.

In the attempt to gain favorable match-ups, Cash placed lefty Ian Seymour in the most critical situation of this game. With runners on second and third in the eighth, the game tied at 2-2 and left-handed hitting Nathaniel Lowe at the plate, Cash went to Seymour on a lefty-to-lefty match. The result was a soft single to center which scored two and placed this one out of the Rays’ reach.

“As the at-bat went along, I started praying harder and thankfully hot a pitch up that I could just get in the outfield,” Lowe said. “It doesn’t necessarily have to be a homer to core the runs right there. If there is a way to get the ball to the outfield, then you have to find a way to do it.”

After the game, Cash reflected on the last time his team lost and that was in the wake of sweeping the Yankees.

“It’s been a while since we lost,” he said referring to a Sept. 27 defeat to Zack Wheeler in Philadelphia. “Perhaps that’s a good thing. I know the guys will come back and respond (in game two).”

One loss does not make a playoff series, and the Rays are clearly cognizant of their destiny.

“There is a great deal of confidence in that clubhouse right now,” said Yandy Diaz, the Rays’ DH. “We feel really good and really motivated. I think that’s the biggest thing. It’s about just motivation to get the job done.”

As this series moves forward … For game two, the Rays will go with veteran right-hander Freddy Peralta, who came over from the New York Mets for three minor leaguers on Aug. 2. With the Rays, he went 5-2 and a 3.25 ERA in 10 starts. With New York, Peralta was miserable and turned in a 5-9 record, 4.99 ERA for 22 starts and that put the 30-year-old from Moca, in the Dominican Republic on the trading block. Then a reversal. For the month of September, Peralta was named the AL pitcher-of-the-month, went 4-0 and a 0.96 ER for 28 innings pitched. Opponents hit .185 against him during the month. The Guardians will counter with lefty Parker Messick, who is from the Tampa area (Plant City, Fla. and Florida State University). “Pretty large of people coming,” he said prior to his start in game two. “Mostly family and my hometown is throwing a bit of watch party. It’s going to be fun.” For the 2026 season, Messick, who will be 26 years old on Oct. 26, went 12-9, posted a 2.56 ERA for 32 starts and named to the AL All-Star team.

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