Chandler Simpson's 2-run triple puts Rays ahead 2-1 in 4th inning

Tampa Bay entered Thursday's contest leading the series 1-0.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated 2h1 min read

Chandler Simpson rips a two-run triple to give the Rays the lead in the 4th! https://t.co/7sKfj0eVH7 Via @MLBONFOX on X

What happened: Chandler Simpson hit a two-out, two-run stand-up triple in the fourth inning on Thursday to put the Tampa Bay Rays ahead of the Cleveland Guardians, 2-1, with the game in progress. Cleveland had opened the scoring in the first inning when Nathaniel Lowe drove in Jo Adell following a leadoff walk.

Why it matters: The Tampa Bay Rays lead the series 1-0 after taking the opener 3-1 on Tuesday. Simpson delivers in the middle innings after Tampa Bay left him out of the starting lineup for the ALCS opener.

By the numbers: Tampa Bay posted a 98-64 record this season, averaging 4.6 runs scored and 4.0 runs allowed per game, while Cleveland went 86-76 while scoring 4.3 runs and allowing 4.1 per contest. The Rays won all four recent head-to-head meetings prior to Thursday by a combined score of 18-4.

What to watch: Play continues at Progressive Field with Tampa Bay holding a 2-1 advantage in the middle innings. The clubs are scheduled to meet again in Cleveland on Friday at 6:00 PM ET on TBS.

Sources

@MLBONFOX 2026-10-15T18:20:14.105199+00:00

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