Teams that hold a 3-2 record in their respective LCS season have gone on to the World Series almost 82% of the time (13/16). The last team to overcome the deficit was the 2004 Boston Red Sox.
The ALCS now heads back to Tropicana Field for Game 6 on October 19th as the Milwaukee Brewers still await to see who they'll be facing. Both the Brewers and the Rays are seeking their first-ever title, while the Guardians are looking for their first since 1948.
Game recap and highlights
Tampa Bay wasted no time at all getting on the scoreboard first.
With two outs and bases loaded, Jonny DeLuca walked home a run to make it 1-0. The Guardians challenged the pitch, but it was upheld before Parker Messick got himself out of the inning before things got worse.
The damage continued in the second inning when the Rays took a 2-0 lead thanks to three singles. Jonathan Aranda brought in Ben Williamson with a one-out RBI single, but Messick finished off the order with a pair of strikeouts.
Messick was done after two innings. He finished with two earned runs on five hits, two walks, and three strikeouts on 57 pitches (34 strikes).
Aranda took to the field in the bottom half of the second inning and continued to be a star of the game.
He made a diving snag over at first base before tossing to Rasmussen to end the inning, forcing Patrick Bailey into a groundout to complete the 1-2-3 inning.
The third inning was just another chance for the Rays to score yet another run, this time on reliever Tim Herrin.
Chandler Simpson got on with a lead-off double, then proceeded to steal third base on a wild pitch. After failing to add on in the first inning with the bases loaded, Liam Hicks redeemed himself this time around and drove in Simpson with an RBI single to center to make it 3-0.
Rasumssen tossed another 1-2-3 in the bottom of the third, putting the Rays' bats back up in no time. Aranda advanced to second on a single after Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan gunned down Taylor Walls at home to prevent the Rays from scoring in four straight innings.
Victor Mesa Jr. was brought in as a pinch-hitter for Ryan Vilade, but Shawn Armstrong forced him into a flyout.
Rasmussen continued to show why he was the team's ace this season. He sent down the Guardians in four batters during the bottom of the fourth, then 1-2-3'd them in the bottom of the fifth.
After Chase DeLauter singled off of him in the bottom of the first, Rasmussen didn't allow a hit for the next 15 batters. Then, the Guardians started to come around.
Brayan Rocchio broke the streak with a one-out single in the bottom of the sixth that was followed by another single from Jose Ramirez to put runners on the corners. It was none other than DeLauter to be the one to bring in Kwan from third with a groundout, earning his sixth RBI of the Postseason.
Rasmussen forced Jo Adell to pop out to end the inning before ending the seventh with a double play. He finished the night going a full seven innings on 95 pitches (67 strikes), giving up the lone run on four hits, one walk, and six strikeouts.
The ace has given up just three runs this Postseason through three starts (21 innings).
After Hunter Gaddis and Cade Smith subdued the Rays' bats in the top of the eighth, it was Cam Booser's time for the Rays after Rasmussen's night ended.
Tyler Wells, who was called to the mound after Booser made the first two outs of the inning, proved clutch after striking out Ramirez to end the inning.
In three full innings this Postseason (five appearances), Booser has yet to allow a single run. Meanwhile, Wells continued to roll after his two shutout innings in Game 3.
Smith carried on in the top of the ninth inning to give the Guardians their best chance at a comeback. Mesa Jr. launched a ball to deep center that looked like it may have either bounced off the top of the wall or traveled for a home run.
Either way, Kwan ended the inning without the Rays scoring another run as he continued to shine in the outfield.
Unfortunately, the fielding wasn't enough.
Tampa brought in star closer Bryan Baker to finish things off. Things wouldn't go as smoothly as wanted. Baker walked DeLauter, then Adell into a fielder's choice after second baseman Richie Palacios spiked the ball in a double-play attempt.
Baker got Nathaniel Lowe to pop out, then capped off the game after forcing Travis Bazzana into a groundout as the series heads back to Tampa. It now marks 35 consecutive saves for Baker dating back to the regular season.