ST. PETERSBURG, FL — The main component in the Guardians continuing to defy the odds since going down 2-0 to their American League Central division rival White Sox?
The reigning American League LatinoMVP and Cleveland’s superstar José Ramírez.
“Cleveland is everything to me. When nobody wanted to give me a chance, they gave me a chance. This is the place I love and they love me back.”
From almost down for the count to now three wins away from his second-career trip to the World Series—the 34-year-old switch-hitter of Bani, Dominican Republic—kept his hot bat intact Monday night at Tropicana Field, with three hits in Cleveland’s 7-3 American League Championship Series Game 1 win over the Rays.
"This is the place that I love, and they love me back."
José Ramírez with some heartfelt words for Guardians fans 🥹
📹: @TBSNetwork pic.twitter.com/sG5mfvRVIz
— MLB (@MLB) October 13, 2026
This is a best of seven ALCS that Tampa Bay is unfamiliar with, being viewed as heavy favorites while the Guardians, with the lowest payroll in MLB, are “The Little Engine That Could.”
The Rays are usually viewed in a similar way, shape or form this time of the year.
Nonetheless, to start it off, Ramírez helped the Guardians put pressure on Tampa Bay’s ace Drew Rasmussen right away in the first with a single, but then quickly helped the right-hander out by getting caught stealing second base.
In the home half of the first, Junior Caminero delivered an RBI single to make it 1-0 Rays while outfielder Johnny DeLuca followed suit on another RBI single which put Tampa up 2-0.
Junior Caminero and the Rays strike first in the ALCS! pic.twitter.com/caRgcAaLH2
— MLB (@MLB) October 13, 2026
The Trop, filled with 35,361, was rocking at this point and on one more big swing, the Guardians would be on their heels.
Instead, that was all the Rays were able to get across as Cleveland’s left-handed starter Foster Griffin escaped a bases loaded first inning jam. The Guardians settled in and then battled back when rookie Chase DeLauter came through on a sixth inning home run against Rasmussen to get Cleveland on the board, cutting the deficit to 2-1.
Chase DeLauter gets a run back for the Guardians! pic.twitter.com/dtYgH6QdbB
— MLB (@MLB) October 13, 2026
Guards catcher Patrick Bailey, recording two hits off Rasmussen, tied it in the seventh with a solo home run of his own, forcing Tampa Bay and manager Kevin Cash to make a call to the ‘pen.
From there, you could feel the air coming out of the ballpark from Rays faithful although there were a few Guardians fans making themselves heard towards the third base side.
For Bailey, he also caught a great game, assisting relievers Daniel Espino (25, Panama City, Panama) and Joey Cantillo, who pitched one scoreless inning each.
Patrick Bailey ties the game with a solo shot! pic.twitter.com/U8nPaiucVO
— MLB (@MLB) October 13, 2026
Game 1 would stay deadlocked until the eighth, when Ramírez found himself in the middle of another rally, hitting a lead off single.
DeLauter continued the rally the Dominican sensation had started with a double, setting up former Ray Nathaniel Lowe to hit a go-ahead two-run single to make it 4-2 Guardians.
GET LOWE!
Nathaniel Lowe's 2-run single puts the Guardians ahead in the 8th! pic.twitter.com/PiWTYtKuUJ
— MLB (@MLB) October 13, 2026
That changed rather quickly via the Rays’ 2026 Roberto Clemente Award nominee Cedric Mullins connecting on an eighth inning solo home run to cut the deficit to 4-3, still in favor of Cleveland.
J-Ram Puts A Bow On ALCS Game 1
In the ninth, Ramírez stepped up with his third hit of the night, an RBI single, to extend the Guardians’ lead to 5-3.
José Ramírez drives in another for the Guardians in the 9th! pic.twitter.com/TXj9CNWGbk
— MLB (@MLB) October 13, 2026
J-Ram soon followed that up by hurting Tampa Bay on the bases with a steal attempt of third base that caused Caminero to move away from the ball Jo Adell hit down the line.
This brought in the final two runs of the game and cemented the 7-3 win for Cleveland.
JO ADELL KEEPS IT GOING FOR THE GUARDIANS! pic.twitter.com/xmGZpOKe8R
— MLB (@MLB) October 13, 2026
“He just has a knack for finding his way on base,” said manager Stephen Vogt of Ramírez. “When he does, he makes things happen. If he doesn’t steal third right there, I don’t know if Jo’s ball gets through the infield for those last two runs. But that’s what ‘Hosey’ does. You put the ball in play, he can get down the line. He just makes things happen.”
The Guardians were down 2-0 with their season on the line in Chicago last week and now they find themselves in the driver’s seat against the top-seeded team in the American League.
A Rays team who went 55-26 at home this regular season and were 2-0 on their turf this postseason before Monday night.
Looking Ahead to Game 2 of ALCS
ALCS Game 2, scheduled for Tuesday, October 13th, will feature Guardians left-handed pitcher Parker Messick (12-9, 2.56 ERA) facing off against Rays right-hander Freddy Peralta (10-11, 4.42 ERA) with first pitch set for 8:08pm ET from The Trop.
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