3 Rays to blame for tough loss to Guardians in Game 1 of ALCS

The Tampa Bay Rays appeared positioned to take control of the American League Championship Series before their Game 1 advantage disappeared Monday night. Tampa Bay jumped ahead by two runs in the first inning, but the Cleveland Guardians rallied for a 7-3 victory at Tropicana Field. Drew Rasmussen delivered six-plus competitive innings for the Rays , yet the Guardians erased the deficit and capitalized on a damaging eighth inning. The Rays now trail 1-0 in the best-of-seven series after suffering their first postseason loss. Three players stand out for their roles in a missed opportunity. 3.