Cleveland goes another year without World Series title; Guardians eliminated in ALCS by Rays, 7-3

— It began in the Seattle chill on March 26 under the roof at T-Mobile Park. It ended under the pulsating fiberglass roof of Tropicana Field on Monday night. (AP) — For yet another season, Cleveland baseball fans will have to wait.

The city’s proud major league franchise still hasn’t won a World Series since 1948. After the Guardians fell a little short once again with a 7-3 loss to Tampa Bay in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series on Monday night, it will be the Rays meeting the Milwaukee Brewers in the Fall Classic — the first once since 1980 between teams seeking their first World Series title. “Yeah, let it hurt,” Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said he told his club.

I couldn’t be more proud of our group. Really felt like we had a team to go and just weren’t able to get there.” Seemingly in control of the best-of-seven ALCS after winning two of the first three games, José Ramírez and the Guardians are left to lament three straight losses. Tampa Bay used clear superiority in its starting rotation, bullpen and late-series offense to eliminate Cleveland.

Seeing the Guardians’ best relievers repeatedly – including opener Shawn Armstrong in Game 4 on Saturday and again Monday in Game 6 — the Rays improved their swings as the series progressed. Cleveland’s staff, which struck out 27 batters over the first three games, didn’t get its first strikeout Monday until Daniel Espino fanned Victor Mesa Jr. By then, Tampa Bay held a 3-0 lead, grinding out runs in trademark fashion.

And, as they did over the prior two games, the Rays’ pitching staff kept the Guardians at arm’s length. “It just seemed like when we had the hit that we wanted, just runners weren’t where they needed to be,” designated hitter Jo Adell said. They did a phenomenal job throwing the baseball and playing their game and we came up short.

We weren’t able to match that.” The Guardians nearly matched it in the eighth, when they almost overcame a 5-1 deficit. Chase DeLauter was initially ruled out on a grounder, but Cleveland challened and the call was overturned after a replay review, giving the rookie his second hit of the game. After Nathaniel Lowe’s single, Rays manager Kevin Cash brought in struggling left-hander Ian Seymour, who promptly loaded the bases by walking Travis Bazzana.