Guardians eliminate Rays, 1-0, on Oscar Gonzalez’s homer in the 15th inning; advance to ALDS

CLEVELAND, Ohio — It ended for the Rays with Corey Kluber on the mound in a ballpark he used to call home.

Rookie Oscar Gonzalez hit a walk-off home run in the 15th inning off Kluber on Saturday to give the Guardians a 1-0 victory to eliminate the Rays and advance to the ALDS against the Yankees on Tuesday in New York.

The Guardians swept the Rays in the best-of-three wild card series. It was their eighth walk-off win this year and their 30th win in their last at-bat. It was their first series victory in the postseason since they clinched the AL pennant against Toronto in 2016.

Kluber, the former two-time Cy Young winner for Cleveland, was making his first relief appearance in over nine years. He came out of Tampa’s bullpen to get the last two outs in the 13th and pitched a scoreless 14th before Gonzalez burned him to start the 15th.

Gonzalez’s homer ended Cleveland’s longest postseason game in terms of innings. The game lasted 4 hours, 57 minutes.

Cleveland’s pitching staff is the first in MLB history (since 1901) to pitch 14 or more scoreless innings in a postseason game. It is also the first postseason game to be scoreless through 14 innings.

The 6-4, 230-pound Gonzalez hit a 1-0 cut fastball into the bleachers in left for the game winner. It was just the second walk-off postseason homer in Cleveland history. Tony Pena hit the first in Game 1 of the 1995 ALDS against Boston in the 13th innings.

“I knew it was a home run,” said Gonzalez, through interpreter Agustin Rivero. “I knew it was a good connection and could tell by the angle of the ball.”

Gonzalez said a prayer before stepping into the box.

“I just said a little prayer and asked God to let me do something good for my team,” he said.

Sam Hentges, who threw the final three innings with six strikeouts, earned the win. He struck out Francisco Mejia and Jose Siri to escape a jam in the 15th. It was the longest appearance of season for the 6-8 lefty.

“I think we were in the 13th or 14th inning and our bullpen was getting kind of thin,” said Hentges. “I knew I was going to have to go at least two innings. But I was ready to go out for the third and I had a lot help on the defensive side.”

The Guardians managed just five hits against eight Tampa pitchers. The Rays had six hits against eight Cleveland pitchers.

The Guardians escaped the 12th when third baseman Jose Ramirez made a great stop and throw to first on a grounder by Manuel Margot. Josh Naylor made the stretch and scoop at first to end the inning and prevent Harold Ramirez from scoring the go-ahead run from third.

The Rays challenged the out call at first, but the after a review the call on the field stood.

“Jose kind of willed himself there to make that play,” said manager Terry Francona. “And Naylor … I don’t know if it’s a game-saving (play), it might be a year-saving play. They score on that play and the way things were going we weren’t throwing crooked numbers up.”

Enyel De Los Santos walked Randy Arozarena to start the inning. Harold Ramirez forced Arozarena at second as he ran his way out of a double play. After Vidal Brujan flied out to right, Taylor Walls singled off shortstop Amed Rosario’s glove to send Ramirez to third. It was just the third hit of the game by the Rays.

Jose Ramirez won Game 1 of with a two-run homer in the sixth inning. He had a chance to be the hero again on Saturday, but struck out with the bases loaded in the sixth.

It was the only serious scoring chance the Guardians had before Gonzalez ended it in the 15th.

Cleveland’s chance came out of nowhere after five innings of dominant pitching by Triston McKenzie and Tyler Glasnow. It vanished just as quickly.

Pete Fairbanks started the sixth after Glasnow, coming off Tommy John surgery, was removed after throwing five scoreless innings with five strikeouts. Fairbanks walked Myles Straw to start the inning. Straw stole second and Steven Kwan walked on a 3-2 pitch. Fairbanks was removed because of numbness in his right index finger.

Jason Adam relieved and hit Rosario with a pitch to load the bases and bring Ramirez to the plate. Ramirez struck out on a 3-2 pitch. Naylor ended the inning by hitting into a double play at shortstop.

The Guards beat the Ray, 2-1, on Friday and 1-0 on Saturday.

Asked what that says about his team, Francona said, “That we scored one before they did. We had bases loaded in the sixth and came up empty. They had their chance late (12th inning). José and Naylor make a great play.

“I just kind of figured that it was going to take something like that (Gonzalez’s homer) because it was a day when the pitching was having its way. Then when the shadows came, you could tell guys were having a tough time (seeing the ball).”

McKenzie, like Shane Bieber in Game 1, held the Rays hitless through the first four innings. Isaac Parades ended that streak with a one-out single in the fifth. McKenzie came back to retire the next two batters.

Dr. Sticks, making his first postseason start, struck out eight and allowed two hits in six scoreless innings.

The Rays put together their best scoring chance against McKenzie in the sixth. Wander Franco walked with two out. Arozerena, in a 2 for 36 slump, beat out an infield single to short. McKenzie ended the threat by retiring Harold Ramirez on a fly ball to left.

Glasnow, Tampa’s 6-foot-8 right-hander, was just as effective. He allowed singles to Naylor and rookie Will Brennan, while striking out five through five innings. Naylor hit a leadoff single in the second, but Glasnow struck out the next three batters. Brennan, making his first postseason start after making his big league debut on Sept. 21, singled with two out in the fifth.

McKenzie went 11-11 with a 2.96 ERA in 31 games in the regular season. He threw a career-high 191 1/3 innings.

This was Glasnow’s third start since being activated. Two of them haven been against the G’s.

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