The Cleveland Guardians will try to take a commanding 2-0 lead in their Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays tonight, sending left-hander Parker Messick to the mound in Game 2.
Cleveland took Game 1 despite being held scoreless for much of the night. The Guardians, who finished 24th in baseball in runs scored and 27th in home runs this season, relied on a late-game surge rather than power to come back. Solo home runs in the sixth and seventh innings tied the score, and a two-run single in the eighth put Cleveland ahead for good. The team added three more runs in the ninth to seal the win.
Messick enters Game 2 off a strong regular season, finishing 12-9 with a 2.56 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP, both marks ranking among the top 10 in baseball. He made two starts against the Chicago White Sox this year, allowing two earned runs in each outing for a total of four earned runs over 6.2 innings, though he walked six batters in that span while striking out 11. Against Tampa Bay specifically, Messick allowed just two earned runs across 13.1 innings in two starts this season.
Tampa Bay, which lost its series opener Thursday night, will counter with right-hander Freddy Peralta. Peralta has made one postseason start so far, allowing one earned run on a solo home run over 4.2 innings, along with three hits, one walk and three strikeouts. He threw only 66 pitches in that outing and last pitched on the 5th, meaning his arm should be fresh. Peralta did not face the Guardians during the regular season, but over his career he has allowed just seven hits in 38 at-bats against Cleveland, all singles.
The stakes are significant for Tampa Bay. The Rays went 55-26 at home and 43-38 on the road this season, and having already dropped a home game in the series, a loss tonight would put them in a 0-2 hole as the series shifts away from their home field.
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