The Cleveland Guardians are just two wins away from the AL pennant and a World Series showdown with the Milwaukee Brewers, holding a tight 2-1 series lead over the Tampa Bay Rays as Game 4 gets ready to kick off tonight at Progressive Field. This series has been an absolute grind, and the stakes couldn’t be higher for both teams fighting for that Fall Classic berth.
Guardians Looking to Press the Advantage
Cleveland snagged that crucial 2-1 series lead yesterday afternoon, grabbing a nail-biting 3-2 victory over the Rays in Game 3. It was Petey Halpin who delivered the heroics for the Guardians, smashing a two-run homer off Griffin Jax in the fifth inning to put them on top for good. Now, with first pitch for Game 4 set for 8 p.m. ET, the Rays are desperate to even things up and stop Cleveland from getting within one game of the pennant. This is where every single pitch matters.
A Risky Call on the Mound for Cleveland
For the Tampa Bay Rays, they’re sending veteran right-hander Nick Martinez to the hill. Martinez has had a solid season, boasting a 15-6 record with a 3.10 ERA, and he’ll be looking to bounce back from his last outing. That was Game 3 of the ALDS against the New York Yankees, where he fanned three but gave up 5 hits, 2 earned runs, and 1 walk over 3 2/3 innings. The Rays absolutely need a deep start from him if they want to get back in this.
But here’s where it gets interesting: the Cleveland Guardians are making a seriously bold move, tabbing right-hander Shawn Armstrong to open Game 4. Get this: it’s Armstrong’s *first* career postseason start, and he’s going up against his *former team* after playing in 131 games for Tampa Bay across four seasons. His season ERA sits at 4.58, and he’s still looking for his first decision at 0-0. He did pitch 1 2/3 innings of relief against the Rays in Game 2, striking out one and allowing just one hit. Cleveland is clearly planning to lean heavily on its bullpen behind Armstrong, hoping to piece together enough outs to keep their series lead intact. This is a high-wire act, folks.
With the AL pennant and a World Series berth hanging in the balance, every moment of Game 4 is going to be must-watch. Can the Rays even the series with Martinez on the mound, or will the Guardians’ bullpen gamble pay off and push them one step closer to the Fall Classic? You can catch all the action on TBS and truTV. Don’t blink, because this one’s going to be wild.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply