Rays, looking like themselves, bounce back to beat Guardians, even ALCS

Marc Topkin, Tampa Bay Times on Oct 13, 2026

Published in Baseball

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — That was more like it.

The Rays used the speed and versatility of their offense to score three runs in the fourth inning Tuesday and rode that outburst, Freddy Peralta’s dominant six shutout innings and a solid bullpen night to a 3-1 victory that evened the best-of-seven American League Championship Series with the Guardians.

Game 3 is Thursday night in Cleveland.

Though the Rays scored two runs in the first inning of Monday’s series opener, they didn’t do much well after that, managing just three additional hits, and lost, 7-3 — the first game they dropped since the Sept. 27 regular-season finale.

An announced crowd of 32,125 — roughly 3,000 less than Monday — cheered them on at Tropicana Field in what was pretty close to a must-win on Tuesday.

The Rays got runners on base in each of the first three innings against Guardians left-hander Parker Messick but failed to get any home. They hit into two double plays, and Ben Williamson got picked off first to end the second.

The fourth started to look the same way, as Junior Caminero drew a leadoff walk and Victor Mesa Jr. grounded to second for what looked to be their third double play of the young night.

But the Rays challenged both outs, and the call at first was overturned, though Jonny DeLuca struck out for the second out.

Speedy catalyst Chandler Simpson, back in the lineup after being sat down the previous two playoff games due to matchups with tough lefties, chopped a high bouncing ball to shortstop Brayan Rocchio and beat the throw to first.

Even better for the Rays, Mesa made the heads-up move to hustle around to third. With runners on the corners, the Rays got a break when Williamson grounded a ball to third that went through the legs of seven-time All-Star Jose Ramirez, who had a big hand in Monday’s win.

That gave the Rays a 1-0 lead. One misplaced Messick slider later, catcher Liam Hicks made it 3-0 with a single to center.

Peralta, relying on his trademark fastball more than 70% of the time, was in control for much of his six innings, scattering four hits and two walks while striking out six in throwing 99 pitches. He had two on and two out in the second and got Rocchio swinging to end it.

Acquired in trade from the Mets on Aug. 2 after a miserable start to his season, Peralta needed a few outings to adjust to a few changes suggested by the Rays and then got his delivery straightened out and his confidence back.

The Rays have now won each of his last eight starts (six regular season, one in each playoff round), and he has allowed zero or one run in each.

Messick, who has pitched well against the team he grew up cheering for, delivered a solid five-inning outing, allowing the three unearned runs on six hits and two walks.

The Guardians got a run in the seventh against the Rays bullpen that had a shaky Monday.

Patrick Bailey led off with a walk off Kevin Kelly and went to second on a Steven Kwan single. Manager Kevin Cash let Kelly face the dangerous Ramirez, and he got him on a fly out.

Cash then went to lefty Ian Seymour (who allowed the decisive runs Monday), and he gave up an RBI double to rookie Chase DeLauter and nothing else, striking out Jo Adell. Closer Bryan Baker finished.