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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Freddy Peralta allowed just four hits over six innings, and Liam Hicks stroked a two-run single following a costly fielding error by José Ramírez, lifting the Tampa Bay Rays to a 3-1 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday night. The win squared the AL Championship Series at 1-1.
Game 3 of the best-of-seven set is scheduled for Thursday night in Cleveland.
Ramírez, whose two-run homer in Game 5 of the AL Division Series against Chicago helped Cleveland become the 11th team to erase an 0-2 deficit in a best-of-five series, mishandled a grounder in the fourth inning that opened the door for three unearned runs against rookie left-hander Parker Messick.
Junior Caminero drew a walk to begin the inning, and Victor Mesa Jr. grounded into a forceout that was initially ruled a double play. The Rays challenged the calls at both first and second base, and a video review overturned the out decision by first base umpire Mark Ripperger, ruling Mesa safe.
After Jonny DeLuca struck out, Chandler Simpson beat out a high chopper to shortstop, and Mesa advanced to third standing up when Ramírez failed to cover the bag. Ben Williamson then hit a grounder that skidded underneath Ramírez's glove and between his legs after the ball struck the edge where the artificial turf met the infield dirt. The third baseman had played back rather than charging. Williamson reached second and Simpson moved to third.
Hicks drove the next pitch to right-center for a 3-0 lead, energizing the towel-waving, cowbell-ringing crowd of 32,125 at Tropicana Field.
Peralta and three relievers made that advantage stand. With fans chanting "Freddy! Freddy! Freddy!" Peralta struck out six to earn the win. He was visibly pumped up walking off the mound in the sixth after fanning Petey Halpin swinging at a 3-2 changeup.
Kevin Kelly recorded two outs in the seventh, retiring Ramírez on a fly ball to center with two runners aboard. Lefty Ian Seymour replaced him and promptly allowed an RBI double to Chase DeLauter that landed in the right-field corner. Seymour then struck out Jo Adell swinging at a changeup, stranding runners at second and third. Seymour tossed a 1-2-3 eighth, and Bryan Baker closed it out with a perfect ninth for his fourth postseason save.
Acquired by the Rays from the Mets at the trade deadline, Peralta turned his season around in Tampa Bay, going 5-2 with a 3.25 ERA in 10 starts after posting a 4.99 ERA for New York.
Messick, who grew up attending Rays games at the Trop, took the loss after surrendering six hits and the three unearned runs in five innings.
Cleveland had won four straight postseason games for the first time since winning its first six playoff games in 2016 on the way to a World Series berth. The 98-win Rays swept the New York Yankees before dropping Game 1 on Monday, 7-3.
In the fifth inning, Caminero leaped to his left to snag Steven Kwan's hard liner to third and then wagged his finger toward the batter. Caminero, who played all 162 games in the regular season and hit 42 home runs, was in the lineup after a collision with DeLuca on a foul ball in the ninth inning Monday night.
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Neither team had announced a starter for Thursday night. RHP Nick Martinez (15-6, 3.10 ERA) started Game 3 against the Yankees, allowing two runs and five hits in 3 2/3 innings in a 4-3 victory. RHP Gavin Williams (14-8, 3.76) is on schedule to start for the Guardians. Williams started Games 2 and 5 against the White Sox and tossed an inning in relief in Game 4. He had 24 strikeouts in 11 2/3 innings, allowing two runs and six hits.
_ See AP's full MLB coverage here.
Originally reported by local10.