ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays are headed to the World Series after beating the Cleveland Guardians 7-3 in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series on Monday night at Tropicana Field. Yandy Díaz and Junior Caminero each hit a two-run homer, while Freddy Peralta allowed one run over 5 1/3 innings. The victory secured Tampa Bay’s third American League pennant in the franchise’s 29-season history and its first World Series trip since 2020, when the Rays lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Rays will open the Fall Classic Friday night in Milwaukee against the Brewers. It is the first World Series matchup since 1980 in which neither team has previously won the championship. Díaz supplied the decisive blow in the eighth, launching a 416-foot homer to left field off Hunter Gaddis to stretch Tampa Bay’s lead to four runs. He had promised Sunday that the Rays would win Game 6. “I’m really glad he backed it up, that’s for sure,” manager Kevin Cash said. Caminero gave Tampa Bay breathing room in the seventh with his first career postseason homer, a drive off the left-field foul pole that made it 5-1. He hit 42 home runs during the regular season before getting his first in October. Cleveland threatened in the eighth, loading the bases with two outs after scoring twice. Kevin Kelly entered and struck out Brayan Rocchio to end the rally. Guardians manager Stephen Vogt praised his players’ fight but said the loss stung, adding that Cleveland believed it had a team capable of reaching the World Series. Peralta, named ALCS MVP, earned his second win of the series. He also delivered six scoreless innings in Game 2 and recorded two key outs in relief in Game 4. “We all earned this,” he said after the clincher. Tampa Bay fell behind Cleveland twice in the series before winning three straight games to close it out. The Rays also swept the New York Yankees in the Division Series. The win capped a season of change for the club. After playing its 2025 home schedule at the Yankees’ spring training complex in Tampa, the team returned to Tropicana Field, which underwent major repairs after Hurricane Milton damaged its roof two years ago. Tampa Bay’s new ownership also secured a stadium deal for a ballpark expected to open in 2029 near the Buccaneers’ home. A sellout crowd of 40,230 filled the Trop on Monday, waving rally towels and ringing cowbells as the Rays clinched the pennant. “This is for you!” Caminero shouted to the fans after the game.