Rays hold Guardians to 1 hit, complete 3-game sweep
Trending
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- Drew Rasmussen allowed one hit through seven innings, Cedric Mullins drove in the only run of the game on a bunt single and the Tampa Bay Rays finished off a three-game sweep of the Cleveland Guardians with a 1-0 victory on Sunday.
Rasmussen (9-5) allowed a leadoff double to Steven Kwan to start the game before retiring 21 of the final 23 batters he faced, including the last 12. Rasmussen struck out nine and walked one.
Tampa Bay blanked its opponent for the eighth time this season, earning its second 1-0 win against Cleveland in 2026. The other was on April 28.
The game finished in 1 hour, 58 minutes, the fourth game in the majors this season to be completed in under two hours.
Parker Messick (8-6) allowed six hits and struck out six, allowing one run in 7 2/3 innings for Cleveland, which has lost five consecutive games. The Guardians were limited to three runs total in the series as Tampa Bay finished the series with back-to-back shutouts. Garrett Cleavinger pitched a scoreless eighth before Bryan Baker converted his 17th consecutive save and 28th overall after striking out Brayan Rocchio with the tying run on first to end the game.
The AL East-leading Rays improved to 38-15 at home this season.
Tampa Bay scored the only run of the game after Chandler Simpson led off the fifth with a single to left, advanced to second on a wild pitch, moved to third when Ben Williamson grounded to second then came home on Mullins’ bunt single.
UP NEXT
Cleveland opens a series at Cincinnati on Monday with RHP Slade Cecconi (4-7, 4.60 ERA) scheduled for the Guardians against RHP Chase Burns (12-1, 2.42 ERA).
Tampa Bay hosts Texas starting Tuesday with the pitching matchup TBA for both teams.
SATURDAY
Martinez and 3 relievers pitch Rays over slumping Guardians
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- Nick Martinez threw six sharp innings, Yandy Díaz became the fourth player in Tampa Bay history to reach 1,000 hits and the Rays shut out the slumping Cleveland Guardians 3-0 on Saturday night.
Junior Caminero hit an RBI double in the fifth to put Tampa Bay up 1-0 before Cedric Mullins extended the lead with a sacrifice fly. Hunter Feduccia added a sacrifice bunt in the sixth that scored Victor Mesa Jr.
The Rays have the best record in the American League at 61-43 and lead the AL East by two games over the New York Yankees.
Tanner Bibee pitched six innings and All-Star rookie Travis Bazzana had two of Cleveland’s five hits as the Guardians lost their fourth consecutive game.
Díaz reached the milestone with his leadoff single in the first and finished 2 for 4 with a run. Carl Crawford holds the franchise record with 1,480 hits.
Martinez (10-2) struck out five and walked none. He allowed four hits and lowered his ERA to 2.45 over 117 1/3 innings in his first season with Tampa Bay.
Cole Sulser and Garrett Cleavinger each pitched an inning before All-Star closer Bryan Baker worked a one-hit ninth for his 27th save.
Bibee (4-10) permitted nine hits while striking out five and walking two. He threw 107 pitches, two shy of his career high.