Cleveland Guardians Miss World Series After Loss To Tampa Bay Rays

Another year of waiting for Cleveland

Cleveland baseball fans must wait another season for a championship. The Guardians lost 7-3 to the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series on Monday night. The defeat means Cleveland has now gone 78 years without a World Series title.

Tampa Bay will face the Milwaukee Brewers in the final series. It is the first time since 1980 that two teams looking for their first title will meet.

Cleveland led 2-1 after three games, but three straight losses ended their season. Manager Stephen Vogt said the result was painful. He told his team to let it hurt, adding that he could not be more proud of his group.

Rays overpower the Guardians pitching

Tampa Bay used strong pitching and late offense to control the game. The Rays hit Cleveland relievers well as the series progressed. Cleveland pitchers struck out 27 batters over the first three games, but failed to record a strikeout in Game 6 until the fifth inning.

By then, Tampa Bay held a 3-0 lead. Junior Caminero hit a two run home run off Cade Smith in the seventh inning to put the Rays 5-1 ahead. Yandy Diaz later added a two run home run off Hunter Gaddis in the eighth to make it 7-3.

Late fightback falls short

Cleveland tried to fight back in the eighth inning. Chase DeLauter got a hit after a replay review. Nathaniel Lowe singled, and Travis Bazzana walked to load the bases.

Patrick Bailey walked to bring home DeLauter, and Angel Martinez was hit by a pitch to score Lowe, making it 5-3. However, Kevin Kelly came in for Tampa Bay and struck out Brayan Rocchio to stop the comeback.

Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt used eight relievers in the game. Outfielder Steven Kwan credited Tampa Bay, stating that they pitched, hit, and defended better than Cleveland.