Guardians rally to beat Rays 7-3 in ALCS Game 1 as Patrick Bailey and Chase DeLauter homer late

The Cleveland Guardians took Game 1 of the American League Championship Series with a late surge, beating the Tampa Bay Rays 7-3 in St. Petersburg on Monday, 12 October (US time). Held to nothing for five innings, Cleveland scored seven runs over the last four innings to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Rays strike first

Tampa Bay went ahead in the opening inning against Guardians starter Foster Griffin. Yandy Díaz led off with a double, Jonathan Aranda bunted him to third, and Junior Caminero's single through a drawn-in infield brought him home. Jonny DeLuca added a run-scoring single later in the inning for a 2-0 lead.

Griffin then settled down, retiring six batters in a row across the second and third innings. He pitched four innings and was charged with two runs before Cleveland turned to its bullpen, with Daniel Espino taking over in the fifth.

Rays starter Drew Rasmussen kept the Guardians quiet for most of the night, and Tampa Bay held its 2-0 lead going into the sixth.

DeLauter and Bailey change the game

The comeback began in the sixth, when Chase DeLauter drove an opposite-field solo home run to left-centre to make it 2-1. In the seventh, Patrick Bailey swung at the first pitch he saw and sent it 436 feet to right-centre for a game-tying solo shot. According to MLB.com it was the longest home run of his major league career, and it ended Rasmussen's night.

Cleveland then went ahead in the eighth. With DeLauter and José Ramírez on base, Nathaniel Lowe lined a single up the middle that scored both for a 4-2 lead. Cedric Mullins answered with a solo home run for Tampa Bay in the bottom of the eighth to cut the gap to one, but the Guardians pulled away in the ninth. Ramírez singled in a run, and Jo Adell doubled down the third-base line to bring in two more.

Five relievers finish the job

After Griffin's four innings, Espino, Joey Cantillo, Hunter Gaddis and Erik Sabrowski each covered an inning before Cade Smith pitched the ninth. Between them they allowed only Mullins' homer.

The win was Cleveland's fourth in a row. The Guardians needed a comeback just to reach this stage, recovering from 0-2 down to beat the Chicago White Sox in the Division Series, while the Rays had swept the New York Yankees in their own Division Series.

Game 2 and the schedule ahead

Game 2 is also in St. Petersburg, at 8pm ET on Tuesday, 13 October, which is 8am on Wednesday, 14 October, in Malaysia. Parker Messick is scheduled to start for Cleveland. The series then moves to Cleveland for Games 3, 4 and 5, with Games 6 and 7, if needed, back in Florida.

The winner will face either the Milwaukee Brewers or the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series. Milwaukee lead that National League series 2-0.

Key takeaways

• The Guardians beat the Rays 7-3 in ALCS Game 1 to lead the series 1-0.
• Tampa Bay led 2-0 until Chase DeLauter homered in the sixth; Patrick Bailey's 436-foot shot tied it in the seventh.
• Nathaniel Lowe's two-run single in the eighth put Cleveland ahead for good, and Jo Adell's two-run double sealed it in the ninth.
• Cleveland have won four straight postseason games.
• Game 2 starts at 8am Malaysia time on Wednesday, 14 October.

FAQ

Who won ALCS Game 1 in 2026? The Cleveland Guardians beat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-3 in St. Petersburg on Monday, 12 October (US time).

Who hit the home runs? Chase DeLauter and Patrick Bailey homered for Cleveland. Cedric Mullins hit Tampa Bay's only home run.

When is ALCS Game 2 in Malaysia time? It starts at 8pm ET on Tuesday, 13 October, which is 8am on Wednesday, 14 October, in Malaysia.

Sources: MLB.com, CBS Sports, Yahoo Sports