ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — José Ramírez's mental mistake and fielding error cost Cleveland in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series, a day after his bat helped boost the Guardians to an opening win.
He left third base uncovered on Chandler Simpson's fourth-inning infield chopper, then misplayed Ben Williamson's grounder for an error that led to three unearned runs as the Tampa Bay Rays evened the best-of-seven series with a 3-1 win Tuesday night.
“It’s a little bit faster here with the surface and I was playing parallel to the base,” Ramírez said through a translator. “The ball bounced right on the edge between the dirt and the turf, and that’s what made it a little more difficult for me. I tried to knock it down.”
“It’s frustrating. I feel bad because I wasn’t able to make that play and after that the runs came in. I feel bad about that,” he added.
A seven-time All-Star who has finished among the top five in MVP voting six times, Ramírez had three hits and scored twice in Cleveland's 7-3 win in the opene r.
Game 2 was 0-0 with Victor Mesa Jr. on first and two outs in the fourth when Chandler Simpson beat out a high chopper to shortstop Brayan Rocchio.
Ramírez, shifted toward second base on the left-handed hitter, took a few steps toward Simpson and watched the shortstop throw to first. Seeing third base uncovered, Mesa rounded second and sped to third standing up as Ramírez tried in vain to catch up.
Four pitches later, Williamson hit a two-hopper that struck the edge of where the artificial turf meets the dirt near third. The ball skipped between Ramírez’s legs into left, allowing Mesa to score.
“José kind of got stuck. It looked like he just didn’t move his feet,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “Just kind of looked like he sat back a little bit with his feet set instead of moving his feet. So tough break right there and obviously they capitalized.”
Liam Hicks pulled Parker Messier's next pitch, a slider, into right-center for a two-run single and a 3-0 lead.
“They’ve done that all year. When they smell blood, they take it and run,” Vogt said. “We had some sloppy plays in the field that we need to clean up.”
Ramírez homered in Games 4 and 5 of the Division Series as Cleveland overcome an 0-2 series deficit, the first Cleveland player to homer in consecutive postseason games since Francisco Lindor in 2018.
See AP’s full MLB coverage here
Cleveland Guardians third baseman José Ramírez watches during the second inning in Game 2 of an American League Championship Series baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg, Fla. Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Cleveland Guardians third baseman José Ramírez watches warms up during batting practice before Game 2 of an American League Championship Series baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg, Fla. Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
DALLAS (AP) — Martin Necas scored two goals, including a 5-on-3 score, and the short-handed Colorado Avalanche beat the Dallas Stars 3-2 on Tuesday night in the opener of a home-and-home series.
Artturi Lehkonen also scored for the Avalanche, while Mackenzie Blackwood made 24 saves after allowing five goals on Saturday against Toronto. Nathan MacKinnon had two assists, giving him 12 points.
The Avalanche opened with 11 forwards and six defensemen when forward Zachary L’Heureux was a late scratch with an upper-body injury. Colorado then played almost 17 minutes with 10 forwards when Fedor Svechkov drew a two-minute instigator penalty, five minutes for fighting and 10 more for misconduct. MacKinnon was also off the bench for more than seven minutes in the second after he fought Roope Hintz — who had his first NHL fight — and went to the locker room for facial repairs.
Tyler Seguin had a goal and an assist, and Hintz also scored for the Stars. Jake Oettinger stopped 22 shots after allowing three goals in his previous four games, and Miro Heiskanen had two assists.
Colorado came in leading the NHL with 5.2 goals per game, while Dallas had a league-best 1.38 goals-against average.
Necas gave the Avs a 2-1 lead early in the second period and then doubled the lead with four seconds left in the 29-second, two-man advantage.
Seguin’s goal, tying the score late in the first period, was Dallas’ first home power-play goal in eight tries.
Cale Makar, the Avalanche’s two-time Norris Trophy-winning defenseman, didn’t make the trip with his wife expecting twins.
Stars forward Wyatt Johnston sat out with an illness after playing in all 395 games, regular season and playoffs, since he made the team in 2022. The Stars played with 11 forwards and seven defensemen.
The teams will meet again on Wednesday in Denver, where the Stars swept two meetings last season in shootouts.
See AP’s full NHL coverage here
Kaylin Lee, bottom, rings the bell as her parents react during a pregame moment celebrating Lee being cancer free prior to an NHL hockey game between the Dallas Stars and the Colorado Avalanche, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Colorado Avalanche right wing T.J. Hughes (13) hits the boards while competing for the puck against Dallas Stars defenseman Lian Bichsel (6) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger watches a shot by the Colorado Avalanche go wide of his net during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) skates with linesman Ben O'Quinn (91) after fighting with Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz, not visible, during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz (24) and Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) fight during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
