One play in the fourth inning of Game 2 changed the shape of the Guardians’ ALCS, and analyst Jeff Ellis believes it may have been the moment that sent Cleveland home short of the World Series.
The Guardians opened the best-of-7 against the Tampa Bay Rays with a chance to grab a second straight road win, but that game swung after a costly error by third baseman Jose Ramirez helped turn a tense contest into a 3-1 loss. Cleveland later won Game 3 at home with ace Gavin Williams on the mound, which makes it easy to imagine a different path. Instead, Tampa Bay eliminated the Guardians in six games.
Ellis was direct about where he thinks the series turned.
“The Rays beat Cleveland in six games, and they played kind of a perfect series. Let’s be honest, their bullpen outside of Ian Seymour was untouchable.
Their starters were trusted to go deep, and they didn’t make any defensive miscues. And I think it’s really kind of hilarious that Game 2 shifted because a hitter who had been very important had a ball go between his legs on the infield.
They lose a close game because of it. Because again, I think if Jose doesn’t have that ball go between his legs, Cleveland’s up 3-0 and probably advances,” Ellis said.
That critical fourth inning unraveled in layers for Cleveland. Parker Messick walked Junior Caminero to start the trouble, then Victor Mesa Jr. hit into what was first ruled a double play.
Tampa Bay challenged, and Mesa was awarded first base. Messick then struck out Jonny DeLuca for what became the second out, but Chandler Simpson followed with an infield hit, and Mesa moved to third when Ramirez failed to cover the bag.
The next batter, Ben Williamson, chopped a ball that went through Ramirez’s legs after he didn’t charge it, bouncing off the lip where the infield grass meets the dirt. That opened the door for Liam Hicks, who drove a two-run single to right-center and pushed Tampa Bay ahead 3-0.
Cleveland pushed across a run in the seventh, but the inning ended with runners on second and third when Jo Adell struck out, and the Guardians never got another baserunner. They were outscored 17-6 over the final three games, which makes it impossible to reduce the series to one moment alone. Even so, Ramirez’s miss in Game 2 stands out as the mistake that altered everything.
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