Rays Even ALCS at 2-2 With 7-3 Win Over Guardians in Rain-Delayed Game 4

The Tampa Bay Rays beat the Cleveland Guardians 7-3 in a rain-delayed Game 4 of the American League Championship Series on Saturday night at Progressive Field, evening the best-of-seven matchup at 2-2 and turning the remainder of the series into a best-of-three.

Tampa Bay took control with timely extra-base hits. Junior Caminero delivered the go-ahead blow in the sixth inning, lining an RBI double into the left-field corner. Jonathan Aranda drove in two runs for the Rays, who built multiple leads during the night, including a three-run seventh inning. Yandy Díaz added a two-run opposite-field homer in the ninth, a shot that put the game away.

Cleveland answered in the seventh but could not fully close the gap. Travis Bazzana homered during the rally, and Brayan Rocchio added an RBI single as the Guardians cut into Tampa Bay’s lead. The Rays, though, held the advantage and then created more separation in the ninth.

The game was originally scheduled for Friday, Oct. 16, but was postponed because of rain and played a day later. The delay also changed the series schedule by removing the planned off-day between Games 4 and 5. Rays manager Kevin Cash said before the rescheduling that “it made the most sense at this point and this hour,” while Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said both clubs wanted to do “everything we can to play the games when they’re scheduled.”

Game 5 is set for Sunday at 5 p.m. ET in Cleveland. If necessary, the series will return to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, for Game 6 on Monday.

By winning on the road, the Rays guaranteed the ALCS will go back to Tampa Bay if the series extends beyond Game 5.