What happened: Cleveland Guardians starter Gavin Williams recorded nine strikeouts across five innings against the Tampa Bay Rays after retiring the first nine batters he faced. Tampa Bay broke through with two outs in the top of the fourth when Chandler Simpson lined a two-run triple to the right-field corner for a 2-1 lead.

Why it matters: Williams, who reached 200 strikeouts earlier in 2026, controlled the zone with an 89 mph sweeper and surrendered only one extra-base hit through five frames. Simpson's fourth-inning swing flipped the one-run margin despite Cleveland's dominance on the mound.

What to watch: Williams enters the middle innings at 70 pitches while the Guardians offense looks to answer the one-run deficit.