Freddy Peralta gave Tampa Bay the kind of October start that changes the temperature of a clubhouse. With the Rays trying to avoid an 0-2 hole in the American League Championship Series, Peralta brought a livelier fastball than he had shown all season and carried Tampa Bay through six scoreless innings in a 3-1 Game 2 win over Cleveland at Tropicana Field.
| ALCS Game 2 | R |
|---|---|
| Guardians | 1 |
| Rays | 3 |
The series is even at one game apiece and shifts to Progressive Field for Game 3 on Thursday, with first pitch set for 6 p.m. ET. The matchup will air on TBS, truTV, UniMas and HBO Max. What began as a seven-game series is now effectively a five-game race.
Peralta brings his biggest fastball
Peralta struck out six and worked six clean frames, finishing his 99-pitch night with a strikeout as the Tropicana Field crowd broke into chants of his name. His 99.4-mph heater to Jo Adell in the fifth inning was the hardest pitch he has thrown in his career.
He also reached 97 mph or better 29 times, a striking jump from the 94.3-mph average fastball velocity he posted during the regular season. Peralta, acquired from the Mets and rejuvenated in Tampa Bay, gave the Rays precisely the forceful outing they needed after Cleveland’s 7-3 victory in Game 1.
“That’s why they call him Fastball Freddy,” catcher Liam Hicks said, praising Peralta’s work ethic and the way his fastball played on Tuesday night.
One fourth-inning mistake opens the door
The Rays did their damage in the fourth against Guardians starter Parker Messick, first stirring trouble with their speed on the bases. Ben Williamson then hit a ground ball to José Ramírez that appeared positioned to end the inning. Ramírez hesitated on an awkward hop, and the ball slipped through his legs as Tampa Bay scored its first run.
Hicks made Cleveland pay for the extra out. He lined a two-run single, turning a narrow opening into the decisive three-run inning.
“The pitch was up, and I was fortunate to get the barrel there and see it fall,” Hicks said. “The guys before me did the work to get on base.”
With Peralta controlling the game, that cushion held. Junior Caminero added a little edge in the next inning, snaring a hard Steven Kwan line drive and flashing a Dikembe Mutombo-style finger wag.
Back to Cleveland
Tampa Bay entered the postseason after an American League-best 98-win regular season and remains heavily favored in the series, but the Game 1 loss had briefly put the club on the back foot. Tuesday restored some of the Rays’ familiar confidence: pressure the defense, make every inning uncomfortable and let the pitching keep the margin small.
Cleveland returns home with its own recent resilience. The Guardians had won four straight games before Game 2, including their rally from a 0-2 deficit against the White Sox in the AL Division Series. A full Progressive Field awaits for the next three games if necessary.
History gives neither club much room for comfort. Home-field teams that split the opening two games of a best-of-seven series have won 55 of 102 series, a 53.9% rate. In league championship series, that figure rises to 24 wins in 40 chances, or 60%.
