Petey Halpin’s two-run homer lifts Guardians past Rays for 2-1 ALCS lead

Petey Halpin hit a go-ahead two-run homer, Gavin Williams struck out nine over five innings and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series on Thursday to take a 2-1 lead.

Game 4 of the best-of-seven series is scheduled for Friday, though rain is forecast.

José Ramírez had two hits and Nathaniel Lowe added an RBI for the Guardians, who have won five of their last six playoff games since falling 2-0 behind the Chicago White Sox in their AL Division Series.

Williams allowed two runs over five innings while walking one. He is 2-0 with a 2.16 ERA and 33 strikeouts over 16 and two-thirds innings innings in four postseason appearances this year, including three starts.

Cleveland retired 16 of the Rays’ final 17 batters. Daniel Espino, Erik Sabrowski, Hunter Gaddis and Cade Smith combined to allow just one baserunner over the final four innings.

Smith stranded a runner at third in the eighth when he struck out Yandy Díaz after a 10-pitch at-bat, then retired the side in order in the ninth.

Tampa Bay went down in order in seven innings, with Junior Caminero striking out four times. Rays batters struck out 13 times in Game 3 after combining for 14 in the first two games of the series.

Lowe opened the scoring with an RBI double in the second that bounced off the right-field fence and past Victor Mesa Jr.

Chandler Simpson put the Rays ahead with a two-run triple in the fourth.

Patrick Bailey led off the fifth with a chopper that pitcher Griffin Jax was unable to field cleanly. Halpin then connected on an elevated 95.9mph sinker on a 2-2 count, driving it 385ft into the right-center-field stands to give Cleveland a 3-2 lead.

It was Halpin’s first postseason home run and only the fifth of his two-year major league career. Jax had not allowed a homer since 9 September, a span of five appearances.

Williams did not allow a baserunner and struck out five the first time through the order.

Jax allowed three runs on five hits and two walks in four-plus innings.