Rays bullpen suffers embarrassing late meltdown as Cleveland bullies Tampa Bay in Game 1

The Tampa Bay bullpen ran out of gas late Monday night. After seven innings of grind-it-out baseball in St. Petersburg, the Cleveland Guardians broke loose with five runs over the final two frames to take Game 1 of the ALCS, 7-3.

José Ramírez and Chase DeLauter of the Cleveland Guardians celebrate after scoring runs during the eighth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series at Tropicana Field on Oct. 12, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (Getty Images)

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The Rays drew first blood.

With two outs in the opening frame, Junior Caminero and Jonny DeLuca ripped consecutive RBI knocks to put Tampa Bay up 2-0. Rays starter Drew Rasmussen kept that lead strong through five innings, punching out seven.

Cleveland finally cracked Rasmussen in the sixth when Chase DeLauter jumped on a heater and launched an opposite-field solo shot over the right-center wall.

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Patrick Bailey pulled Cleveland even leading off the seventh, hooking a solo blast down the right-field line to end Rasmussen's night at 2-2.

The Guardians kept the heat on in the eighth against Tyler Wells and Ian Seymour. Ramirez started the fire with a hustle infield single, DeLauter ripped a double down the line, and Nathaniel Lowe laced a go-ahead, two-run single to make it 4-2.

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Tampa Bay answered in the bottom of the eighth when pinch-hitter Cedric Mullins ambushed Erik Sabrowski with a solo shot to right, trimming the deficit to 4-3.

Cedric Mullins of the Tampa Bay Rays rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the eighth inning during Game 1 of the American League Championship Series against the Cleveland Guardians at Tropicana Field on Monday, Oct. 12, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (MLB Photos via Getty Images)

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Then Jose Ramirez delivered the knockout blow.

Capping a 3-for-5 night with two runs scored, Cleveland's veteran third baseman stepped in with two outs in the ninth and lined an RBI single into right off Cole Sulser to make it 5-3. After Sulser walked DeLauter, Kevin Kelly entered to face Jo Adell. The mid-season acquisition stepped up to the big moment, ripping a two-run double down the third-base line to put the contest on ice at 7-3.

Cedric Mullins and Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrate after hitting a home run in the eighth inning against the Cleveland Guardians in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series at Tropicana Field on Oct. 12, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (Getty Images)

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Cleveland pounded out 14 hits against six Tampa Bay arms, with Ramirez and DeLauter combining for six knocks before Cade Smith slammed the door on six pitches.

The Rays entered Monday riding high after sweeping the Yankees, but they left the yard with all the pressure.

Game 2 is Tuesday night at Tropicana Field.

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Alejandro Avila is a longtime writer at OutKick, living in Southern California.