Late meltdown by Rays at home leaves them with 7-3 loss to Guardians in Game 1 of ALCS

The Tampa Bay Rays lost 7-3 to the Cleveland Guardians in the opening game of the American League Championship Series. The Rays initially led 2-0, with pitcher Drew Rasmussen performing well until the sixth inning when he allowed a home run. Manager Kevin Cash kept Rasmussen in for the seventh inning, but he gave up another home run, tying the game. The Guardians took the lead in the eighth inning with a two-run single and extended it in the ninth with a two-run double. Despite a strong start, the Rays’ bullpen struggled, leading to their first postseason deficit. This loss was surprising as the Rays had a strong home record and hadn’t lost a game started by Rasmussen since July. QUESTION: How might the pressure of postseason games impact a team’s performance compared to regular season games?