Shane Bieber’s gem, Jose Ramirez’s homer give Guardians win over Rays, lead series 1-0

The Cleveland Guardians have a simple plan: Give the ball to closer Emmanuel Clase.

In Game 1, that plan worked flawlessly.

Shane Bieber struck out eight, and Jose Ramirez’s two-run home run proved to be the game-winner in the Guardians’ 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1 of the best-of-three wild-card series.

It was a pitcher’s duel early. Both Bieber and Shane McClanahan kept things scoreless through the first five innings.

But, in the sixth, Jose Siri put Tampa Bay on the board with a solo home run, giving the Rays a lead.

That lead didn’t last long, though. Ramirez gave Cleveland the lead for good in the bottom half of the inning, but not without a scare.

The Rays issued an appeal, claiming Amed Rosario did not touch second base on the home run, which would have given the Guardians an out on the bases and turned it into a game-tying solo homer. But the call stood after review, giving Cleveland a 2-1 lead.

After Siri’s home run, Bieber retired the next seven batters he faced but allowed a single to Isaac Paredes, bringing Siri to the plate. Cleveland manager Terry Francona opted not to have Bieber face Siri a third time, going to the bullpen after 7 ⅔ frames of one-run ball. 

Francona brought in his All-Star closer Clase for a four-out save, and Clase delivered on just 11 pitches, retiring all four batters he faced.

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Bieber held the Rays to just three hits on the day, and they had just one at-bat with a runner in scoring position.

Ramirez and Rosario went 2-for-4.

McClanahan tossed seven innings of two-run, five-strikeout ball but was charged with the hard-luck loss.

Cleveland pitcher Triston McKenzie will take the ball Saturday at 12:07 p.m. ET to try to win the series, and Tyler Glasnow will try to save the Rays from elimination.