Rays One Win Away From World Series After Game 6 Win
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The Tampa Bay Rays faced the Cleveland Guardians on October 20 in Game 6 of the 2026 American League Championship Series.
This series decides which team moves on to the World Series, the final championship of MLB.
The Rays won Game 6, putting them just one win away from reaching the World Series.
A victory would send Tampa Bay to the World Series for the third time, and their first in six years.
Right-hander Peralta, who has pitched well this season, started Game 6 for the Rays.
The Guardians chose a different strategy, using Armstrong as an opener.
An opener is a pitcher who starts the game but is replaced early, often after just one or two innings.
This strategy lets a team save its main starting pitchers for later in the game or series.
Fans could follow the game through TV broadcast and online streaming services.
Details about which channels and streaming platforms carried the game were provided for viewers in Japan.
With the Rays leading the series, the next game could decide which team advances to the World Series.
Cleveland will need a win to keep their season alive, while Tampa Bay will try to finish the series.
Vocabulary10 words
- American League Championship Series
- games that decide the AL champion before the final
- World Series
- the last and biggest games of MLB each year
- MLB
- the top baseball league in the United States
- opener
- a pitcher who starts but pitches only a short time
- strategy
- a smart plan used to win
- broadcast
- to show something on television
- streaming
- watching video sent over the internet
- right-hander
- a player who throws with the right hand
- series
- a group of games between the same two teams
- advance
- to move forward to the next stage
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Quiz
Answer key
1. A place in the World Series 2. Peralta 3. Starting with an opener
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Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
The Tampa Bay Rays faced the Cleveland Guardians on October 20 in Game 6 of the 2026 American League _____ Series.
This series decides which team moves on to the _____ Series, the final championship of MLB.
The Rays won Game 6, putting them just one win away from reaching the _____ Series.
A victory would send Tampa Bay to the World Series for the _____ time in six years.
Right-hander _____, who has pitched well this season, started Game 6 for the Rays.
The Guardians chose a different strategy, using Armstrong as an _____.
An opener is a pitcher who starts the game but is _____ early.
Fans could follow the game through TV broadcast and online _____ services.
With the Rays leading the series, the next game could decide which team _____ to the World Series.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think teams use an 'opener' strategy in important games?
- How does winning a championship series change a team's season?
- Do you prefer watching sports live on TV or through streaming? Why?
- What do you think makes a baseball pitcher successful in big games?
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