Yandy Díaz gets three hits as Rays beat Guardians in ALCS Game 5

Yandy Díaz had three hits, including a first-inning double, as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Cleveland Guardians 3-1 in Cleveland on Sunday, October 18. The win gave Tampa Bay a 3-2 lead in the American League Championship Series and put it one victory from the World Series.

The result follows Tampa Bay’s Game 4 win, which tied the series at two games apiece. Díaz’s three-hit performance in Game 5 helped the Rays take the lead before the series moves to their home field.

How Díaz helped Tampa Bay take the lead

The leadoff hitter has recorded a hit in seven of Tampa Bay’s eight postseason games. After Game 5, he was batting .314 in the playoffs with four doubles, a home run and an .847 OPS. Across the last two games, he went 5-for-10 with a homer, two RBIs and three runs, according to AP. In the regular season, the 35-year-old led the American League with 180 hits and earned his second All-Star selection.

Rays manager Kevin Cash credited Díaz’s work at the top of the order: ‘As he goes, we go,’ he said, according to AP. Closer Bryan Baker said Díaz’s approach changes the team’s at-bats when he gets going. Those are teammates’ assessments of his influence; Tampa Bay also received a strong start from Drew Rasmussen.

Rasmussen and Hicks add to the Game 5 win

Rasmussen held Cleveland to one run on four hits in seven innings, striking out six and walking one, ESPN reported. Tampa Bay added a third-inning run when Liam Hicks hit an RBI single that scored Chandler Simpson, who had opened the inning with a double.

Messick lasted two innings for Cleveland. ESPN reported that the Guardians used six pitchers over nine innings after using seven pitchers in Game 4, leaving their bullpen with another heavy workload as the series continues.

Game 6 is scheduled for Monday, October 19, at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. If Cleveland wins, a deciding Game 7 is scheduled there on Tuesday, AP reported.