10/19/2026 10:34:00
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10/19 22:33 CDT Cleveland's painful World Series drought continues at hands of
Tampa Bay Rays
Cleveland's painful World Series drought continues at hands of Tampa Bay Rays
By ZAK GILBERT
Associated Press
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) --- For yet another season, Cleveland baseball fans
will have to wait.
The city's proud major league franchise still hasn't won a World Series since
1948.
After the Guardians fell a little short once again with a 7-3 loss to Tampa Bay
in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series on Monday night, it will
be the Rays meeting the Milwaukee Brewers in the Fall Classic --- the first
once since 1980 between teams seeking their first World Series title.
Seemingly in control of the best-of-seven ALCS after winning two of the first
three games, Jos Ramrez and the Guardians are left to lament three straight
losses. Tampa Bay used clear superiority in its starting rotation, bullpen and
late-series offense to eliminate Cleveland.
Seeing the Guardians' best relievers repeatedly -- including opener Shawn
Armstrong in Game 4 on Saturday and again Monday in Game 6 --- the Rays
improved their swings as the series progressed.
Cleveland's staff, which struck out 27 batters over the first three games,
didn't get its first strikeout Monday until Daniel Espino fanned Victor Mesa
Jr. in the fifth inning.
By then, Tampa Bay held a 3-0 lead, grinding out runs in trademark fashion.
And, as they did over the prior two games, the Rays kept the Guardians at arm's
length.
Cleveland led the AL with 41 comeback victories this season, but fatigue
clearly caught up with the Guardians as Tampa Bay closed out the series. The
Guardians didn't hold a lead over the final 25 innings.
Guardians manager Stephen Vogt was left wondering whether ace Gavin Williams,
who struck out nine over five innings in his Game 3 victory, would've been the
better option Monday on three days' rest.
Instead, Vogt used eight relievers Monday, and Tampa Bay showed no hospitality.
The Rays even got to Cleveland's best reliever, All-Star closer Cade Smith,
when the right-hander faced Junior Caminero in the seventh. Caminero pulled
Smith's first-pitch splitter off the left-field foul pole for a two-run homer
that gave the Rays a 5-1 lead.
Yandy Daz added a two-run shot off Hunter Gaddis to make it 7-3 in the eighth.
Cleveland, which won the AL Central and came back to beat the Chicago White Sox
in their Division Seres by winning three straight, had advanced to the World
Series four times since winning its most recent title by beating the Boston
Braves in the 1948 World Series.
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