September 16 – Ben Lively pitched five strong innings and four relievers did not allow a baserunner as the host Cleveland Guardians beat the Tampa Bay Rays 2–0 on Sunday to tie the game at four.
Lively (12-9) showed no ill effects from a thigh liner he suffered earlier in the week against the Chicago White Sox, allowing four hits (all singles) and four walks on balls. He retired 11 consecutive batters before giving up back-to-back singles to Yandy Diaz and Brandon Lowe in the bottom of the sixth inning, making the score 1-0 and finishing with two strikeouts.
Despite Lively’s low pitch count (59), Guardians manager Stephen Vogt immediately turned to his bullpen, where Cade Smith, Tim Herring, Hunter Gaddy Thomas and Emmanuel Class (45th save) posted solid performances, striking out seven.
Jose Ramirez had two hits and Bryan Rocchio had an RBI. The Guardians (86-64) are leading the American League Central and are one step closer to making the playoffs for the second time in three seasons by winning the final two games of the series.
Lowe had two hits for the Rays (73-77), who scored one run in the final two games after allowing a total of eight runs in the first two games of the series. Taj Bradley (6-11) gave up two runs in 4 1/3 innings while allowing five hits and three walks while striking out six.
The Guardians asked Bradley to score 32 runs in the first inning, but the bases were loaded. However, Cleveland scored a run in the second inning when Daniel Schneeman doubled over the right field wall, scored on Bo Naylor’s grounder and went to third on a double to right by Rowe.
Cleveland added a run in the fifth inning when Angel Martinez hit a leadoff infield single. He moved to third on a Ramirez single to left field and scored on two steals, and Reyes stole second to catch the Guardians’ All-Star.
Martinez had two hits for Cleveland, which has won 11 of its last 17 games.
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