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Rays win American League pennant in 7-3 win over Cleveland

The Tampa Bay Rays secured their third American League pennant with a decisive 7-3 victory over the Cleveland Guardians in Game 6 of the ALCS, forcing Cleveland to fall just short of their World Series ambitions. Righthander Freddy Peralta anchored the win with a dominant performance, allowing just one run over 5 1/3 innings while striking out nine batters and inducing 14 whiffs, including nine off his fastball.

His two-run support came from Richie Palacios, Yandy Díaz, and Junior Caminero, whose two-run homers helped the Rays build a commanding lead. Despite a late eighth-inning collapse—where Cleveland cut the deficit to two—the Rays’ bullpen rallied to preserve the series, with manager Kevin Cash’s strategic moves proving pivotal.

Peralta’s series dominance, including a 2-0 record and 0.75 ERA, earned him ALCS MVP honors, while the Guardians’ bullpen strategy backfired spectacularly, requiring eight relievers to navigate just two innings.

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