Rays clinch World Series berth behind Freddy Peralta in ALCS Game 6
Tampa Bay will face Milwaukee in its third World Series appearance, setting up a matchup between Peralta and his former team.
Freddy Peralta allowed one earned run over 5 and 1/3 innings as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Cleveland Guardians in ALCS Game 6 to claim the AL pennant and advance to the World Series.
Peralta surrendered five hits and three walks, struck out three and generated 14 whiffs. He needed 72 pitches to complete five scoreless innings before Cleveland scored its first run on a Nathaniel Lowe single in the sixth.
Tampa Bay's early offense included Richie Palacios' RBI double with two strikes in the second inning and Jonny DeLuca's sacrifice fly in the third. The Rays held a 3-0 lead before Cleveland broke through.
Junior Caminero hit a two-run homer off the foul pole in the seventh at Tropicana Field, pushing the lead to 5-1. Cleveland cut the deficit to 5-3 in the eighth, but Yandy Diaz answered with another two-run home run to put Tampa Bay ahead 7-3.
Peralta entered Game 6 with a postseason ERA of 0.79. Acquired at the trade deadline, he had adjusted his delivery by widening his stance and working more quickly.
According to reporter Francys Romero, Peralta also passed Bartolo Colón for fifth among Dominican-born pitchers in career postseason strikeouts, reaching 53. Tampa Bay's third World Series appearance will come against the Milwaukee Brewers, Peralta's former team.
