Halpin homer and Cleveland bullpen put Guardians ahead in ALCS

Cleveland moved ahead in the American League Championship Series on Thursday, beating Tampa Bay 3-2 to establish a 2-1 series lead. Petey Halpin delivered the decisive two-run homer in the fifth inning, according to Associated Press reporting carried by WSB-TV.

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Nathaniel Lowe doubled home Cleveland’s opening run in the second inning before Chandler Simpson’s two-run triple reversed the lead in the fourth. Patrick Bailey reached to begin the fifth, setting up Halpin’s home run against Griffin Jax. The swing restored Cleveland’s advantage, and neither team scored again.

Gavin Williams struck out nine across five innings, allowing two runs and one walk. Daniel Espino, Erik Sabrowski, Hunter Gaddis and Cade Smith then kept Tampa Bay scoreless through the remaining four innings. Smith struck out Yandy Díaz to escape the eighth with a runner on third and finished with a perfect ninth.

Williams entered the game after playing a central role in Cleveland’s division-series comeback against the Chicago White Sox. The pregame report carried by StatMuse recorded 24 strikeouts over 11 and two-thirds innings in that series, with appearances as both a starter and reliever. His work included a start in Game 2, an inning of relief in Game 4 and the deciding Game 5 assignment.

That previous round had left Cleveland with no margin for another defeat after two losses at home. According to Guardians Nation’s account of the clincher, the Guardians won both subsequent games in Chicago before returning to Progressive Field and completing the turnaround with a 2-0 victory. José Ramírez supplied a two-run homer in that finale. Cleveland’s pitchers combined for 21 strikeouts and allowed only three hits, none for extra bases.

Thursday’s result puts Cleveland two wins from the World Series and forces Tampa Bay to pursue another equalizer. The Rays had won Game 2 of this series 3-1 after losing the opener 7-3, results listed by StatMuse. Game 4 is scheduled for Friday, although the Associated Press reported rain in the forecast; that forecast does not itself confirm any postponement.