The Cleveland Guardians beat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-3 in Monday's ALCS opener at Tropicana Field.
The Guardians came back from an early two-run deficit thanks to solo homers by Chase DeLauter and Patrick Bailey. Nathaniel Lowe put Cleveland up for good with a two-run single in the eighth inning.
Cleveland's bats collected 14 hits to hand the Rays their first loss of the postseason.
"It's been a while since we've lost," Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said postgame, according to Rays reporter Ryan Bass. "That's a good thing. I know the guys will come back and respond tomorrow."
José Ramírez and DeLauter had three hits apiece, as Cleveland won its fourth straight playoff game after overcoming a 2-0 hole in the ALDS.
"Cleveland is everything to me," Ramírez said postgame through a translator, according to MLB. " ... When nobody wanted to give me a chance, they gave me a chance. ... This is the place that I love, and they love me back."
The Guardians are the first club in MLB playoff history to score in the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth innings after getting shut out in the first five frames, according to OptaSTATS.
Cleveland's bullpen allowed just one run on two hits over five innings after starter Foster Griffin went four innings. The left-hander surrendered two runs on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts.
Rays ace and potnetial AL Cy Young finalist Drew Rasmussen went six innings, allowing two runs on eight hits with zero walks and seven strikeouts.
Freddy Peralta will start for the Rays in Tuesday's Game 2. The Guardians will counter with Parker Messick.
