ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Cleveland Guardians will start right-handed relief pitcher Shawn Armstrong in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series as they attempt to force a deciding seventh game against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Armstrong, 36, started as an opener in Game 4 of the ALCS on Saturday, pitching a scoreless inning in an eventual 7-3 Guardians loss.
Armstrong, who hasn't given up a run in 7⅔ postseason innings, did not start a game during the regular season. The Rays counter with right-hander Freddy Peralta, who won Game 2.
The decision comes after the club said it would not pitch ace right-hander Gavin Williams on three days' rest.
"We'll have a plan, but we're not sure who's going to take the ball first," manager Stephen Vogt said after the team's Game 5 loss on Sunday. "We know this is going to be tough but if there's a group I'm betting on to get this done, it's our guys."
The push to make the postseason in the first place and then to come-from-behind in the best-of-five AL Division Series against the White Sox might be catching up to the Guardians staff.
Rookie Parker Messick hasn't gone long in any of his postseason starts, while the team has already leaned heavily on Williams. Williams has compiled high pitch counts and strikeout totals throughout the playoffs. He also closed out Game 4 of the division series, adding even more to his plate.
The Guardians hope to put the ball in Williams' hand on full rest in a potential Game 7 on Tuesday night.
"We don't like being in this position, but, like we said the last series, our backs were against the wall," Vogt said. "They've been against the wall for a long time. This is when this team thrives."