Tampa Bay Rays’ Junior Caminero celebrates a two-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the seventh inning in Game 6 of an American League Championship Series baseball game in St. Petersburg, Fla. Monday, Oct. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
St. Petersburg, FL – Freddy Peralta allowed just one run into the sixth inning and Junior Caminero and Yandy Diaz homered late to lead the Tampa Bay Rays to a trip to the World Series defeating the Cleveland Guardians 7-3.
With the win the Rays will travel to Milwaukee to take on the Brewers starting Friday night at 8:00 p.m. EST.
Freddy Peralta worked 5.1-innings allowing one run on five hits while striking out three and walking three. He threw 84 pitches with 54 for strikes. His stellar Game 2 start, his relief outing in Game 4, and his excellent start in Game 6 earned him the MVP of the ALCS.
Tampa Bay jumped out to an 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Junior Caminero led off with a single ending Shawn Armstrong‘s outing. Guardians Manager Stephen Vogt went to lefty Tim Herrin as three of the next four Rays hitters were left handed. Chandler Simpson hit into a fielders choice erasing Caminero at second. Simpson got himself into scoring position by stealing second. Herrin walked Victor Mesa Jr. and gave up a deep fly ball to Jonny DeLuca which allowed Simpson to tag to third.
With Richie Palacios at the plate, Mesa Jr. moved into scoring position by stealing second. After falling behind 0-2 Palacios narrowly avoided being called out on strikes but it was ruled he checked his swing in time. He then fought off an inside fastball with an excuse me swing to prolong the at-bat. On the next pitch, Palacios doubled to right to score both Simpson and Mesa Jr. The at-bat personified much of the Rays success during the season and postseason. Avoiding the strikeout by spoiling pitches and driving in runs with two outs.
Tampa Bay extended their lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the third off lefty Joey Cantillo. The Rays loaded the bases on a leadoff single by Liam Hicks, a walk to Junior Caminero, and a bunt single by Chandler Simpson. Victor Mesa Jr. ground to second who threw home for the force out. Jonny DeLuca came through with a sacrifice fly to plate Caminero to extend the lead to 3-0.
Cleveland came back to score a run in the sixth inning. Chase DeLauter led off with a double and scored on a single by Nathaniel Lowe to cut the Rays lead to 3-1. Cam Booser took over for Peralta and retired the last two batters in the sixth and then retired the side in order in the seventh.
The Rays responded to Cleveland’s run in the bottom of the seventh. Stephen Vogt summoned his closer Cam Smith into the game and he issued a leadoff walk to Liam Hicks. Junior Caminero followed with a line drive shot off the foul pole in left giving the Rays a 5-1 lead.
The Guardians came right back in the top of the eighth inning. Taylor Wells allowed a 1-out single to Chase DeLauter but retired Jo Adell for the second out. Nathaniel Lowe singled and Rays Manager Kevin Cash went to the mound and called on Ian Seymour to face left-handed hitter Travis Bazzana.
Seymour did not retire any of the three batters he faced. He walked Bazzana to load the bases, then walked Patrick Bailey to force home a run, and then hit Angel Martinez to force in another run. Suddenly, the Rays comfortable four run lead was down to just two runs at 5-3.
Kevin Kelly came in to replace Seymour with the bases loaded, two outs, and Brayan Rocchio at the plate. Kelly struck him out swinging to end Cleveland’s late rally.
The Rays then responded in their half of the eighth inning. With one out Taylor Walls walked and Yandy Diaz delivered provided comfortable insurance runs blasting a two-run homer. It was an emphatic blast backing up his words following the Rays Game Five win when he said “It all ends tomorrow, we’re going to win tomorrow.”
With their long inning in the top of the eighth, the Guardians at least gave themselves a punchers chance with the top of the order due up to face Rays closer Bryan Baker.
Baker, who has been dominant all postseason, retired both Steven Kwan and Jose Ramirez on soft ground balls to first before inducing a foul pop off the bat of Chase DeLauter which Liam Hicks tracked down just outside of the Cleveland dugout to end the game. The decibel meter of the sellout crowd of 40,230 was deafening as the Rays dugout and bullpen poured onto the field in celebration.
