Ramírez’s HR sends Guardians past Rays
CLEVELAND – The Guardians were certain of two things: José Ramírez would deliver, and Amed Rosario touched second base. Cleveland’s kids were right. Ramírez connected for a two-run homer, Shane Bieber dominated Tampa Bay for 7 2⁄3 innings and the young Guardians played with poise in their postseason debut, beating the Rays 2-1 in the wild-card opener on Friday.
Ramírez’s shot off Tampa’s Shane McClanahan in the sixth inning – the Rays initially appealed whether Rosario stepped on second – helped Cleveland end an eight-game postseason losing streak and left baseball’s youngest team one win from advancing in its first season as the Guardians.
Though short on experience, the Guardians seem to have everything else.
“At this point we’re dealing with what we got in that clubhouse,” Bieber said, brushing off the team’s youth. “And that’s a winning ballclub.”
Bieber, rocked in his only other playoff appearance two years ago by the Yankees, was spectacular, allowing just three hits and striking out eight before being lifted the eighth to a thunderous ovation.
Emmanuel Clase took it from there, getting four outs for his first postseason save and finishing a game that took just 2 hours, 17 minutes – the fastest in the postseason since 1999 and Cleveland’s quickest since its World Series-clinching win in 1948.
Jose Siri homered for the Rays, who dropped their sixth straight game overall and turn to starter Tyler Glasnow in Game 2 on Saturday to keep their season alive. The series winner plays the AL East champion New York in the Division Series starting Tuesday in the Bronx.
With 17 players making MLB debuts this season, the Guardians entered the playoffs unsure of what to expect. Fortunately, Ramírez and Bieber had been here before, and both came through for the AL Central champions.
With Cleveland down 1-0 and running out of outs, Ramírez delivered – as usual.
“Nothing surprises me,” Rosario said of his teammate, who is batting .455 with homer and six RBIs in his last three playoff games. “For me, he’s the best player in baseball.”
Rosario singled with one out and Ramírez, a four-time All-Star who finished second to Aaron Judge in RBIs in the AL this season, drove a 1-1 changeup over the wall for just his second postseason homer in 97 at-bats.
However, as the red-towel waving fans in Progressive Field screamed, Rays manager Kevin Cash appealed whether Rosario missed second. TV replays showed him slowing and touching the bag, but that didn’t give Guardians manager Terry Francona any comfort as the Rays proceeded to challenge.
“When they start huddling like that, you start to get a little nervous,” he said.