Chandler Simpson gave Tampa Bay its loudest swing Thursday afternoon, but Cleveland owned the late innings and held on for a 3-2 Game 3 victory in the American League Championship Series at Progressive Field.
The Rays outfielder turned a fourth-inning deficit into a brief lead, ripping a two-out, two-run triple against Guardians right-hander Gavin Williams. Tampa Bay could not add on, however, and now needs its offense to find another gear with Cleveland ahead in the series.
Quick facts
- Simpson drove in both Tampa Bay runs with a fourth-inning triple.
- The ball left his bat at 102.1 mph, his hardest-hit non-ground ball across his 265-game major league career.
- He became the second Ray with a postseason triple and two RBIs in one game, following Carl Crawford in the 2008 ALCS.
- Cleveland retired 16 of Tampa Bay’s final 17 hitters.
- Game 4 is scheduled for Friday at 6 p.m. ET on TBS, truTV, UniMas and HBO Max, though it would shift to 8 p.m. ET if Milwaukee completes a Dodgers sweep Thursday night.
Williams got Simpson in an 0-2 count with two sweepers, including one swinging strike. Simpson watched another sweeper miss the zone, then got a fourth straight version of the pitch and pulled it into right field for a 2-1 Tampa Bay lead.
“I was just trying to put something in play and move the ball forward,” Simpson said. “I’m glad I was able to execute.”
The triple continued a productive stretch for the 25-year-old left-handed hitter. Simpson did not start Game 1 at Tropicana Field against Cleveland left-hander Foster Griffin, but he helped ignite Tampa Bay’s three-run fourth inning in its 3-1 Game 2 win with a key single.
His Game 3 shot carried extra authority. Simpson also recorded a 100 mph groundout in the second inning, making it the first game of his MLB career in which he produced two balls in play at 100 mph or better.
Manager Kevin Cash said Simpson’s ability to compete in difficult counts makes him more than a speed-first nuisance in the middle of the lineup.
“When he falls behind, he’s such a complete hitter,” Cash said. “Whether it’s 2-0 or 0-2, it doesn’t really matter with him. Not many hitters can say that. He stays in the at-bat, and that was probably among the hardest balls he has hit all year.”
During the regular season, Simpson batted .306 across 151 games, collecting 16 doubles, six triples, 38 RBIs and 46 stolen bases. His contact ability and wheels make him a pressure point for opposing pitchers, particularly when Tampa Bay has runners aboard.
For a few minutes Thursday, the triple appeared capable of changing the afternoon. Williams had been rolling, and Simpson’s drive put the Rays in front after they had trailed.
“He was on a roll,” Simpson said. “We were behind, and that hit put us ahead. It felt like it gave us momentum going into the next inning and through the rest of the game.”
That momentum did not last. Simpson remained at third base when Williams struck out Liam Hicks to close the fourth. Richie Palacios doubled with one out in the eighth, and pinch-runner Jorge Mateo reached third, but the Rays again came up empty.
Cleveland’s pitching, defense and changing looks shut down the Tampa Bay lineup after Simpson’s big swing.
“They pitched really well, mixed everything up and kept us off-balance,” Simpson said. “Their defense was excellent, too. It’s tough to find holes even when you square something up. That says a lot about their club.”
The matchup has played out as a close, low-scoring series between two teams built around clean defense, pitching and taking advantage when opportunities arrive. Games 2 and 3 have produced only nine combined runs.
Simpson sees a familiar opponent across the diamond. The Rays will need to match Cleveland’s execution, not just answer it, if they are to reclaim control of the series.
“It’s almost like looking in a mirror,” Simpson said. “They’re having good at-bats against our best pitchers, putting the ball in play, moving runners, picking their spots, stealing bases and playing strong defense. We expected a fight. It comes down to which team plays its style better.”
