CLEVELAND (Interstat) — Gavin Williams struck out nine over five innings, Petey Halpin hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the fifth, and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 on Thursday afternoon in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series at Progressive Field.

The win left the series tied 1-1. Cleveland improved to 90-80. Tampa Bay fell to 102-66.

Williams was the winning pitcher and moved to 16-8. He allowed two earned runs on two hits over five innings, walking one and striking out nine. He has been sharp throughout the postseason, striking out 12 over 5 2/3 innings in his previous start and 11 in the outing before that. Williams handed a one-run lead to the Cleveland bullpen after Halpin’s homer in the fifth.

Williams began the game by retiring the Rays in order in the first. Yandy Díaz popped out to first baseman Nathaniel Lowe in foul territory, Jonathan Aranda struck out swinging, and Junior Caminero struck out swinging. In the second, Victor Mesa Jr. lined out to left fielder Steven Kwan, Chandler Simpson grounded out to second baseman Travis Bazzana, and Liam Hicks struck out swinging. Williams allowed his first hit in the fourth, a leadoff double by Díaz. After a pair of strikeouts and a walk, Simpson tripled. Williams then struck out Hicks to end the inning. He retired the side in order in the fifth, striking out Taylor Walls to finish his outing.

The Guardians’ relief corps finished the job. Daniel Espino pitched a scoreless inning with one strikeout. Erik Sabrowski followed with a scoreless inning and one strikeout. Hunter Gaddis recorded two outs while allowing one hit. Cade Smith worked the final 1 1/3 innings, allowing no hits and striking out two for his 43rd save. Cleveland’s bullpen combined for four scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out four.

Griffin Jax took the loss for Tampa Bay, falling to 8-11. He allowed three earned runs on five hits over four innings, walking two and striking out two. Tyler Wells followed with two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out four. Steven Matz then pitched two perfect innings with two strikeouts. The Rays’ bullpen kept Cleveland off the scoreboard after the fifth, but the damage had already been done.

Cleveland opened the scoring in the second. Jo Adell drew a walk, then Nathaniel Lowe doubled on a sharp line drive to right field to bring Adell home. Travis Bazzana grounded out to move Lowe to third, but Patrick Bailey and Halpin were retired to end the threat. The Guardians had taken a 1-0 lead without a home run, stringing together a walk and a double against Jax.

Jax worked through early trouble. He struck out Kwan to open the first, walked Ramírez with two outs, and retired DeLauter on a groundout. In the third, Ramírez singled with two outs, but DeLauter grounded out. In the fourth, Adell flied out sharply to center fielder Jonny DeLuca, Lowe struck out swinging, and Bazzana popped out to second baseman Richie Palacios. Jax kept Cleveland within reach until the fifth.

Tampa Bay answered in the fourth. Yandy Díaz doubled to left field, and Victor Mesa Jr. walked. Chandler Simpson then tripled on a sharp line drive to right field, scoring Díaz and Mesa Jr. to give the Rays a 2-1 lead. Simpson finished 1 for 3 with two RBIs. Liam Hicks struck out swinging to end the inning, leaving Simpson at third. The Rays had turned a one-run deficit into a one-run lead with a pair of extra-base hits and a walk.

The Guardians regained the lead in the fifth. Bailey singled on a ground ball to shortstop that deflected off Jax. Halpin then drove a 96 mph sinker to right-center field for a two-run homer. The ball landed in the right-field bleachers, and Halpin’s bat twirled high above him as he began his jog around the bases. Halpin went 1 for 3 with the home run and two RBIs. The home run turned a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead and sent the Progressive Field crowd into a frenzy.

Cleveland had more chances in the fifth. Brayan Rocchio singled on a ground ball to right field. Steven Kwan popped out to third baseman Junior Caminero. José Ramírez singled on a ground ball to right field. Chase DeLauter struck out swinging to end the inning. The Guardians led 3-2. They would not score again, but they would not need to.

Tampa Bay’s bullpen held Cleveland in check from there. Wells struck out four over two innings. Matz did not allow a hit over two innings. Cleveland’s bullpen also shut down Tampa Bay. Espino, Sabrowski, Gaddis, and Smith combined for four scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out four. Tampa Bay’s best late chance came in the eighth when Richie Palacios doubled, but he was stranded. Gaddis entered and got DeLuca to pop out before Palacios doubled. Smith then came on and struck out Díaz swinging to end the inning. In the ninth, Jonathan Aranda flied out to center fielder Halpin, Junior Caminero struck out swinging, and Victor Mesa Jr. flied out to left fielder Kwan in foul territory to end the game.

Tampa Bay finished with three hits. Díaz doubled, Simpson tripled, and Palacios doubled. Cleveland finished with six hits. Lowe doubled, Ramírez singled twice, Bailey singled, Halpin homered, and Rocchio singled. The Guardians also drew two walks, while the Rays drew one walk. The Rays left runners in scoring position in the fourth, the eighth and the ninth, but could not push across the tying run.

The afternoon game at Progressive Field drew 30,101. It took 2 hours, 28 minutes. The Guardians’ win came in front of a packed crowd that was vocal throughout the afternoon. Cleveland’s defense turned routine plays behind Williams and the bullpen, while Tampa Bay’s late comeback attempt fell short. The Rays’ season record is now 102-66. Cleveland’s season record is now 90-80. The series is tied 1-1. The series continues at Cleveland.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Tampa Bay Rays 8, Cleveland Guardians 6. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Tampa Bay with a 52.3 percent probability to win. Cleveland had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -1.5. The total score of 5 went over the over/under line of 6.5.