Rays defeat Guardians to level MLB playoff series

The Tampa Bay Rays scored a series-leveling 7-3 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday to reignite their dream of a first World Series crown. Tampa Bay — one of only five Major League Baseball teams never to win a World Series title — squared their best-of-seven American League Championship series at 2-2 with a gutsy victory in Cleveland. The Rays' former Cleveland slugger Yandy Diaz blasted a two-run home run in the ninth inning to put the seal on a superb performance by Tampa Bay that silenced Progressive field. The Guardians had been looking to build a commanding 3-1 advantage in Saturday's game four, 24 hours after the fixture had been postponed due to inclement weather in Cleveland. But in chilly conditions, it was the Rays who dug deep to secure a crucial victory that leaves the series tied with three to play. Tampa Bay starting pitcher Nick Martinez laid the foundations for the Rays win, restricting Cleveland to one run through five and one third innings. Martinez had given up an early run in the first inning when Cleveland's Chase DeLauter singled to bring Steven Kwan home for a 1-0 lead. But thereafter Martinez shut down the Cleveland offense — retiring 11 batters straight at...