Cleveland’s remarkable postseason ends with a 7-3 loss to Tampa Bay in Game 6, extending the franchise’s World Series championship drought to 78 years.

The Cleveland Guardians’ remarkable postseason run came to a painful conclusion Monday night as the Tampa Bay Rays claimed a 7-3 victory in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series, eliminating Cleveland and advancing to the World Series.

For a Guardians team that overcame enormous adversity to reach the ALCS, the ending was particularly bitter. Cleveland held a 2-1 series lead before dropping three consecutive games, watching its championship aspirations disappear amid another untimely offensive slump.

Tampa Bay wasted little time taking control Monday.

Former Guardians infielder Richie Palacios delivered a two-run double in the second inning, putting Cleveland behind early. Junior Caminero added a two-run home run, and Yandy Díaz delivered another two-run blast in the eighth inning to help seal the Rays’ first American League pennant since 2020.

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Cleveland briefly threatened in the eighth, cutting Tampa Bay’s advantage to 5-3, but couldn’t complete the comeback.

Rays starter Freddy Peralta limited the Guardians to one run on five hits over 5 1/3 innings, earning the victory and ALCS Most Valuable Player honors.

For Cleveland, the offensive struggles that plagued much of the series proved impossible to overcome.

After scoring seven runs in their Game 1 victory, the Guardians managed just 10 combined runs over the final five games.

“We just couldn’t get the timely hit,” outfielder Steven Kwan said. “It’s disappointing.”

The loss brought an abrupt conclusion to one of Cleveland’s most improbable seasons.

The Guardians were five games below .500 on August 19 before finishing the regular season with a 24-11 surge to capture their third consecutive AL Central championship.

They followed with another dramatic comeback, erasing a 2-0 series deficit against the Chicago White Sox to win the American League Division Series.

But the magic finally disappeared against Tampa Bay.

“It just hurts. It stings,” manager Stephen Vogt said. “I really felt like we had a team to go and just weren’t able to get there.”

Despite the disappointment, Cleveland enters the offseason with a promising foundation featuring José Ramírez, Steven Kwan, Gavin Williams and emerging young contributors Travis Bazzana, Chase DeLauter and Parker Messick.

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Still, the franchise’s World Series title drought now stands at 78 years, dating to its last championship in 1948.

The Guardians proved they could overcome adversity, win their division and compete deep into October.

What they couldn’t do was finish the job.

And for a franchise desperate to bring another championship to Cleveland, that remains the only result that ultimately matters.