Drew Rasmussen keeps his focus on execution before Rays–Guardians ALCS Game 5
The Rays starter says he is treating Sunday’s pivotal game like any other outing after Tampa Bay’s Game 4 win tied the series at two games apiece.
Tampa Bay Rays starter Drew Rasmussen said ahead of Sunday’s American League Championship Series Game 5 against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field that he is focused on preparation and execution. The October 18 matchup follows Tampa Bay’s 7-3 win in Game 4, which tied the series at two games apiece. Its winner will take a 3-2 lead and move one victory from the World Series.
Rasmussen’s approach to Game 5
Asked about the pressure of a game that could send the Rays home with a series lead, Rasmussen said, “In every single game, I try and do my best. It’s still just baseball,” according to Miguel La Torre’s ClutchPoints report, carried by Yahoo Sports. Rasmussen said that approach had helped him in earlier outings.
Rasmussen also said he tries not to make the occasion bigger than it is. “It’s you, it’s preparation, and it’s execution,” he said of his priorities. ClutchPoints attributed the comments to a post by Rays reporter Ryan Bass; Rasmussen was speaking before his scheduled start, not reacting to a Game 5 result.
The right-hander has already faced Cleveland in this series. In Game 1, he allowed two runs over six-plus innings and struck out seven, ClutchPoints reported. Both runs came on home runs, and Rasmussen received no decision after the Guardians rallied against Tampa Bay’s bullpen for a 7-3 win.
How the Rays and Guardians reached a 2-2 tie
Tampa Bay answered its opening defeat with a 3-1 victory in Game 2. Cleveland then won Game 3 by 3-2 before the Rays drew level on Saturday. That sequence leaves neither club with room for more than one loss in the remaining best-of-seven series.
In Game 4, Rays starter Nick Martinez held the Guardians to one run on two hits over 5⅓ innings, ESPN reported. Junior Caminero’s RBI double put Tampa Bay ahead 2-1, and Jonathan Aranda’s seventh-inning hit helped widen the lead. The Rays finished with a 7-3 win after a rain postponement had pushed the game back a day.
The result also changes the setting for Rasmussen’s start: Tampa Bay can leave Cleveland with a chance to clinch the pennant at home. ClutchPoints said Sunday’s first pitch was scheduled for 5:08 p.m. Eastern time. Game 6 is set for Monday at Tropicana Field, with Game 7 there if needed; the Milwaukee Brewers await the ALCS winner in the World Series.
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Sources and context
- Rays star Drew Rasmussen isn’t phased by ALCS Game 5 start vs. RaysClutchPoints (by Miguel La Torre; carried by Yahoo Sports)
- Takeaways from Rays' ALCS Game 4 victory over GuardiansESPN
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.