ST. PETERSBURG (DA) — Richie Palacios drove in the opening 2 runs as the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Cleveland Guardians 7-3 on Monday to clinch the American League pennant and their first World Series appearance since 2020.
Palacios doubled in the second inning to give Tampa Bay a 2-0 lead at Tropicana Field. Chandler Simpson, who had stolen second earlier in the inning, scored on the play.
The Rays won the American League Championship Series 4-2, securing the third AL title in franchise history. They will face the Milwaukee Brewers in the World Series, with Game 1 scheduled for Friday, Oct. 23, at American Family Field at 8 p.m. EDT.
Tampa Bay added a run in the third inning before Junior Caminero hit his first career postseason home run, a 2-run shot in the seventh that extended the lead to 5-1.
Cleveland scored twice in the eighth to close within 5-3, but Yandy Díaz answered with a 2-run homer in the bottom half.
Freddy Peralta earned the victory after allowing 1 run on 5 hits over 5⅓ innings, with 3 walks and 3 strikeouts. Bryan Baker finished the game, having closed out all 7 of Tampa Bay’s postseason victories while pitching 7 scoreless innings.
A sellout crowd of 40,230 attended the clincher. The victory was Tampa Bay’s 105th of the year, including the regular season and postseason, matching the franchise record set in 2008.