Cleveland Guardians Stun Rays with 9th-Inning Rally in ALCS Game 1 Thriller

CLEVELAND—The Cleveland Guardians return to Progressive Field tonight for Game 4 of the American League Championship Series with a 2-1 edge over the Tampa Bay Rays, and the organization is turning downtown into an all-day postseason festival. Gates open at 3:30 p.m. ET, but Gateway Plaza will start buzzing at 2:30 p.m. with a free block party featuring DJ Nick Duvé, live big-screen game coverage, local food trucks and on-site Quickball clinics for kids 12-and-under. Inside the park, teenage guitar prodigy Max Stak will perform the national anthem, while the U.S. Navy Color Guard presents the colors. Between innings, the club’s in-park DJ will keep energy high as José Ramírez, Steven Kwan and a lights-out bullpen try to push Cleveland within one win of its first World Series trip since 2016. The matchup resumes after the Guardians took Game 3 by a 3-2 margin behind ace Shane Bieber and a late two-run blast from Ramírez. Manager Stephen Vogt will hand the ball to right-hander Tanner Bibee, opposed by Rays southpaw Shane McClanahan, in a duel that mirrors the opener Cleveland won 7-3 last week. Fans still hunting for seats can snag standing-room-only tickets on CLEGuardians.com/Postseason, but the team reminds newcomers to arrive early: downtown road closures start at noon, rideshares will stage on Huron Rd., and Progressive Field’s new CLEAR lanes shorten security waits. Those watching from home can tune in on FOX at 6:00 p.m. ET or stream via MLB.tv; radio coverage airs on WTAM 1100 and the Guardians Radio Network. Weather won’t be a spoiler—forecast models show partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid-60s at first pitch. If the series extends, Game 5 is scheduled for Saturday at 8:00 p.m., with NBA All-Star Donovan Mitchell set to throw the ceremonial first pitch and Cleveland’s own Lady Bri slated for the anthem. SEO quick hits: • Cleveland Guardians vs. Tampa Bay Rays ALCS Game 4 start time • Progressive Field festivities, tickets and parking info • Donovan Mitchell first pitch, national anthem performers • How to watch Guardians playoff baseball live stream With postseason electricity surging through the Gateway District, the Guardians are leaning on home-field advantage—and a raucous sell-out crowd—to keep their October run alive.