The Cleveland Guardians defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 7-3 on Monday, October 12, overcoming an early deficit and scoring seven runs over the final four innings to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven American League Championship Series.

Tampa Bay jumped ahead 2-0 in the first inning. Junior Caminero singled home Yandy Díaz before Jonny DeLuca followed with another RBI single to bring Caminero across the plate. Cleveland starter Foster Griffin escaped further damage by striking out Taylor Walls with the bases loaded.

The Guardians struggled to generate offense early against Rays starter Drew Rasmussen, who struck out seven over six innings. Cleveland finally broke through in the sixth when rookie Chase DeLauter launched a solo home run, cutting Tampa Bay’s lead to 2-1.

Patrick Bailey tied the game in the seventh with a solo shot of his own, sending a 436-foot drive out of the park and shifting the momentum toward Cleveland.

The Guardians seized control in the eighth. José Ramírez and DeLauter reached base before Nathaniel Lowe delivered a two-run double, giving Cleveland its first lead at 4-2. Tampa Bay briefly responded when Cedric Mullins hit a solo home run in the bottom half, trimming the deficit to 4-3.

Cleveland pulled away in the ninth. Ramírez singled home Angel Martínez to restore a two-run cushion, and after a wild pitch and a walk extended the inning, Jo Adell doubled in two more runs to make it 7-3.

Ramírez and DeLauter each finished with three hits, while Lowe drove in two runs. Bailey and DeLauter supplied the Guardians’ home runs, and Adell’s two-run double provided the final cushion.

Cleveland’s bullpen played a decisive role after the early trouble, holding Tampa Bay to one run over the final five innings and limiting the Rays to just three hits after their productive first inning. Rasmussen took the loss, while the Guardians’ late rally turned a game that had favored Tampa Bay into a comfortable road victory.

The defeat was Tampa Bay’s first since September 27. The Rays will look to even the series in Game 2 on Tuesday before the matchup shifts to Cleveland. The Guardians, meanwhile, have put themselves in position to take control of the series after winning four consecutive postseason games.