Guardians' Parker Messick takes down Rays once again

Cleveland starting pitcher Parker Messick beat Tampa Bay for the second time in less than two weeks, and the Guardians claimed their four-game series against the host Rays with a 2-1 win on Sunday afternoon.

After posting his first career win with seven scoreless innings against the Rays on Aug. 26, Messick (2-0) allowed just one run over six innings in his fourth career start. He whiffed four without a walk.

Tampa Bay (71-72) went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position against the left-hander.

Angel Martinez came off the bench and was 2-for-3 with a run. Jose Ramirez tripled in a run as Cleveland (72-70) went 4-3 on its road trip.

Carson Williams homered and Brandon Lowe was 2-for-4 with a double as the Rays lost three of four to Cleveland and were 4-3 on their homestand.

Rays starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen fired five scoreless innings and allowed three hits. He struck out two, walked three and hit a batter.

In the third inning, the Guardians nearly broke through against Rasmussen.

Steven Kwan walked and stole second base, but the Cleveland leadoff hitter had to go back to second on a liner to make sure it got through. That delayed Kwan enough to be thrown out at home by Rays shortstop Williams on a relay play.

Tampa Bay strung together six hits in four innings, including infield singles by Christopher Morel and Everson Pereira to open the fourth. However, Messick induced a double-play grounder from Josh Lowe before getting Nick Fortes looking to keep the game scoreless.

On the first pitch of the bottom of the fifth, Williams powered a shot to left center for his second homer. It came on a middle-in, four-seam fastball from Messick.

Despite having a second runner cut down at the plate in four innings, the visitors scored twice in the sixth off lefty Garrett Cleavinger (1-5). Ramirez tripled over the third base bag before Gabriel Arias faced reliever Kevin Kelly and slashed a two-out RBI single to right to score pinch runner Jhonkensy Noel with the go-ahead run.

Cade Smith struck out the side in the ninth for his 11th save and second in two games.