ALCS Game 5: Takeaways from Rays' win over Guardians

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          Rays win Game 5 to take 3-2 lead in ALCS (1:07)

          • ESPN
          Oct 19, 2026, 08:00 AM

          The Tampa Bay Rays are in control of the American League Championship Series as they head home to Tropicana Field for Game 6.

          Playing for the chance to face Milwaukee in the World Series, they entered Sunday knotted with the Cleveland Guardians at two games apiece. But in the final game in Cleveland, the Rays got on the board first and slowly added to their lead as the night went on, securing the 3-1 win to move one victory away from the Fall Classic.

          We have all the game action and postgame analysis from ALCS Game 5.

          Key links: How final teams were built | Playoff MVP tracker | Schedule

          Takeaways

          Tampa Bay Rays 3, Cleveland Guardians 1

          Tampa Bay leads series 3-2

          It was over when ... Liam Hicks blooped an RBI single to shallow center field to give the Rays a 3-0 lead in the third inning. It was a tough left-on-left matchup for Hicks opposite Tim Herrin, and the Rays catcher managed to find grass in front of center fielder Petey Halpin with a ball that traveled all of 69.5 mph off his bat. Chandler Simpson, who had led off the inning with a double, scored easily. The Rays squandered prime opportunities to score more runs in the early innings -- they left seven runners on base through four -- but it was still more than enough cushion for Tampa Bay ace Drew Rasmussen.

          Game 5 star: Rasmussen's dominant postseason continued Sunday. The right-hander held Cleveland to one run on four hits over seven innings. He struck out six to one walk. The All-Star has logged eight, six and seven innings, respectively, in his three playoff outings. He has given up three runs across the 21 innings, good for a 1.29 ERA. Starting pitching is a strength for Tampa Bay, and it starts with Rasmussen.

          The stat that defined the game: 2. That's how many innings Cleveland's All-Star rookie starter Parker Messick pitched Sunday. The stat less defines the game and more presents a problem for the Guardians moving forward. With the potential for four games over four days, they were counting on a lengthy outing from Messick. Instead, after using seven pitchers in a bullpen game in Game 4, they needed six pitchers to get through nine innings Sunday. Bullpens tire and become exposed with such heavy usage in October. It's an advantage the Rays will look to exploit to close out this series back home on Monday. -- Jorge Castillo

          What it means for the rest of the series: The Rays couldn't be in a much better position considering they trailed this series, 2-1. They're headed home to Tropicana Field, where they had the best home record in MLB this year. They've got Freddy Peralta and Griffin Jax lined up on regular rest while Cleveland's pitching is something of a muddled mess. And, best of all, the Rays have gotten their bats going after an early-series funk, although they need to cash in better with runners in scoring position. -- Jeff Passan

          Highlights from Tampa Bay's win

          Rays move within one win from World Series

          A highlight-reel catch for Kwan to keep Rays' lead to 2

          Guardians get on the board in the 6th

          Bailey tags Walls out at home to save a run for Cleveland

          Simpson scores to make it 3-0

          Aranda's RBI single gives Tampa Bay 2-run lead

          Rays score first on 1st-inning bases-loaded walk