Halpin homer flips game to Guardians
Cleveland Guardians right fielder Joc Adell scores past Tampa Bay Rays catcher Liam Hicks on a double by Nathaniel Lowe during Game 3 in Cleveland on Thursday.
CLEVELAND — Rookies Petey Halpin hit a go-ahead, two-run homer, and Williams struck out nine as the Cleveland Guardians beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 in Game 3 of the AL Championship Series on Tuesday night to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven matchup scheduled for today, though rain is in the forecast.
“It’s the second time he’s kind of picked us up in a big spot this year. He’s really been a great, great guy,” said manager Stephen Vogt.
Jose Ramirez had two hits and a walk for the Guardians, who have won five of their last six playoff games since trailing the Chicago White Sox 2-0 in their AL Division Series.
Cleveland also improved to 6-1 at ALCS Game 3, including a 5-1 at home since the series went to a best-of-seven format against Seattle in 1995.
Patrick Bailey started the fifth with a chop that Griffin Cuff singled up the middle on an 0-2 count. After Cuff advanced on a groundout by Jose Siri and a 3-2 count drew a walk from Hicks, Halpin drove an 0-2 pitch into right-centre for a 3-2 lead. It was his second career post-season homer and an emphatic but flat wall and then an emphatic bat flip.
“I definitely threw it high. I think it was probably one of my better swings of the game, just the energy and the excitement, just kind of let it go,” Halpin said. “I think I got a good read off him on that home run and the fifth overall of his two big league career.
“It was the first time I was allowed to have a bat flip, so those are fun appearances.”
“I knew if I hit it good, I thought I got enough of it,” Halpin said. “I knew that he used a sinker in a few times to letters before, kind of as a strikeout pitch. I was on a hard timing aspect of it and I was able to get the bat out. He left it over the plate a little bit and I was able to make a good swing.”
Rays manager Kevin Cash said that Jack wouldn’t have been able to make a play on Halley’s chop, especially with the infield playing in. The ball just beat the box. The sinker to Halpin just leaked over the plate.
“He does a good job handling off-speed stuff,” Cash said. “But that’s the wrong apology.”
Williams allowed two runs in five innings, giving up four hits with 2.16 ERA and 33 strikeouts over 19 1/3 innings in four post-season games this season, including three starts.
He gave up solo homers to Yandy Díaz and Isaac Paredes, including 53 strikes. Vogt said he noticed Williams’ velocity drop in the sixth inning, which is why he could be used later in the series.
Williams pitched one inning of relief in the Game 4 of the Division Series against Detroit on Saturday.
“I definitely noticed it a little bit, but I’ve done something that I never did before. Sometimes there’s a little hitch, there’s a little bit of a lull. So see what I’ve got in two or five days, whatever they need from me,” Williams said. “I’m ready for whatever — last 17 batters, Daniel Espino, Eric Sabrowski, Hunter Gaddis and Cade Smith allowed one baserunner the final 2 2/3 innings.
Smith stranded a runner at third in the eighth when he struck out Yandy Díaz and retired Josh Lowe with a double play left centre and Victor Mesa with a flyout to left field. Emmanuel Clase then faced Chandler Simpson, who had a two-run triple down the right-field line, but it was a real good fastball, and I think that I got the barrel off,” Simpson said.