Game result and context
Guardians beat Rays 7-3 to take 1-0 lead in AL Championship Series Game 1
Cleveland trailed 2-0 until the sixth, then scored in each of the final four innings to win 7-3. Solo home runs by Chase DeLauter and Patrick Bailey tied the game, and a three-run ninth settled it. The Guardians lead the best-of-seven series 1-0.
Final result
The Cleveland Guardians beat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-3 on October 12, 2026, at Tropicana Field in Game 1 of the AL Championship Series.
Cleveland is 1-0 and Tampa Bay is 0-1 in the series. The Guardians out-homered the Rays 2-1.
How the game changed
Tampa Bay struck first with two runs in the bottom of the first inning. That lead held through five innings.
Cleveland chipped back with single runs in consecutive innings. Chase DeLauter hit a solo home run in the top of the sixth, and Patrick Bailey tied the game 2-2 with a solo shot in the top of the seventh.
The Guardians went ahead with two runs in the top of the eighth. Cedric Mullins answered with a solo home run in the bottom half, cutting the deficit to 4-3. Cleveland then added three runs in the top of the ninth to make it 7-3.
Key performances
DeLauter set the pace for Cleveland, going 3-for-4 with three runs scored, a home run and an RBI. José Ramírez went 3-for-5 with two runs and an RBI.
Nathaniel Lowe was 2-for-5 and drove in two runs. Bailey finished 2-for-4 with a run, a home run and an RBI.
For Tampa Bay, Drew Rasmussen worked 6.0 innings, striking out seven and allowing two earned runs. Mullins went 1-for-1 with a home run, a run scored and an RBI.
Season and playoff context
The win gives Cleveland a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven AL Championship Series and takes home-field footing away from Tampa Bay in the opener. The Rays will try to even the series in Game 2.