Cleveland’s painful World Series drought continues at hands of Tampa Bay Rays

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — For yet another season, Cleveland baseball fans will have to wait.

The city’s proud major league franchise still hasn’t won a World Series since 1948.

After the Guardians fell a little short once again with a 7-3 loss to Tampa Bay in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series on Monday night, it will be the Rays meeting the Milwaukee Brewers in the Fall Classic — the first once since 1980 between teams seeking their first World Series title.

Seemingly in control of the best-of-seven ALCS after winning two of the first three games, José Ramírez and the Guardians are left to lament three straight losses. Tampa Bay used clear superiority in its starting rotation, bullpen and late-series offense to eliminate Cleveland.

Seeing the Guardians’ best relievers repeatedly – including opener Shawn Armstrong in Game 4 on Saturday and again Monday in Game 6 — the Rays improved their swings as the series progressed.

Cleveland’s staff, which struck out 27 batters over the first three games, didn’t get its first strikeout Monday until Daniel Espino fanned Victor Mesa Jr. in the fifth inning.

By then, Tampa Bay held a 3-0 lead, grinding out runs in trademark fashion. And, as they did over the prior two games, the Rays kept the Guardians at arm’s length.

Cleveland led the AL with 41 comeback victories this season, but fatigue clearly caught up with the Guardians as Tampa Bay closed out the series. The Guardians didn’t hold a lead over the final 25 innings.

Guardians manager Stephen Vogt was left wondering whether ace Gavin Williams, who struck out nine over five innings in his Game 3 victory, would’ve been the better option Monday on three days’ rest.

Instead, Vogt used eight relievers Monday, and Tampa Bay showed no hospitality.

The Rays even got to Cleveland’s best reliever, All-Star closer Cade Smith, when the right-hander faced Junior Caminero in the seventh. Caminero pulled Smith’s first-pitch splitter off the left-field foul pole for a two-run homer that gave the Rays a 5-1 lead.

Yandy Díaz added a two-run shot off Hunter Gaddis to make it 7-3 in the eighth.

Cleveland, which won the AL Central and came back to beat the Chicago White Sox in their Division Seres by winning three straight, had advanced to the World Series four times since winning its most recent title by beating the Boston Braves in the 1948 World Series.

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