Halpin homer lifts Guardians to 2-1 ALCS lead over Rays — SkimNews
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- Petey Halpin hit a two-run fifth-inning homer off Griffin Jax's sinker to right-center, erasing a one-run deficit and providing the final runs in Cleveland's 3-2 Game 3 win that gave the Guardians a 2-1 ALCS lead.
- Halpin's bat flip after a barely-cleared homer drew reactions across the clubhouse — Steven Kwan called it "ignorant — but in a good way," while reliever Erik Sabrowski deadpanned from the bullpen, "Sweet. And we better win."
- Guardians starter Gavin Williams struck out nine over five innings, continuing Cleveland's postseason pitching dominance while working on short rest after a Game 4 relief outing in the division series.
- Closer Cade Smith secured four outs, striking out Yandy Diaz in a 10-pitch battle with the tying run on third in the eighth inning before a 1-2-3 ninth to end it.
- Jo Adell won an ABS challenge and later scored the game's first run on Nathaniel Lowe's double, continuing Cleveland's "different hero every night" postseason offensive pattern.
- Halpin had hit a similarly massive homer nearly a month earlier that helped Cleveland clinch the AL Central by one game over the White Sox.
- Weather concerns could alter the series schedule further after Thursday's game was already moved up — Friday's game time may also change.
Why it matters: A Guardians team built around elite pitching now has a sudden offensive catalyst in rookie Halpin, who has delivered two of Cleveland's biggest homers this season. With Williams and Smith already absorbing heavy postseason workloads on short rest, any weather-driven schedule shift would test that thin margin further.
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