The Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Cleveland Guardians 3-1 in Tuesday's Game 2 to level the ALCS at one game apiece.
Freddy Peralta allowed four hits and two walks while striking out six over six shutout innings to pick up the win at Tropicana Field. The 30-year-old recorded the fastest pitch of his career (99.4 mph) in the fifth.
The two-time All-Star is the second pitcher in Rays history to throw a scoreless quality start in the ALCS or World Series. Scott Kazmir was the other to accomplish the feat, doing so in Game 5 of the 2008 ALCS.
Peralta has allowed just four earned runs over his last 44 2/3 innings (eight starts) dating back to the regular season.
"I define myself as a competitor, Peralta said postgame, according to Rays reporter Ryan Bass. "I like these kind of games. ... I feel like I have that in me."
The Rays scored three unearned runs in the fourth inning after an error by Guardians third baseman José Ramírez. Liam Hicks delivered the big hit with a two-run single following the defensive miscue.
The game marked only the seventh time since 1913 that a team allowed three-plus unearned runs in a playoff contest, per Jesse Rogers of ESPN.
The series now shifts to Cleveland for Game 3 on Thursday.
The Rays announced that Griffin Jax will toe the rubber, while the Guardians still haven't revealed their starter.
