With a 5-2 win in Game 1, the Yankees were poised to strengthen their grip on the ALCS, and they delivered with a thrilling 6-3 win Tuesday night against the Guardians.
Gerrit Cole took the mound, aiming to maintain his flawless postseason record against Cleveland. However, it was Aaron Judge who stole the spotlight, launching his first home run of the 2024 postseason and helping propel the Yankees to within two wins of the World Series.
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Yankees hold on, push ALCS lead to 2-0
It’s all over in the Bronx!
Luke Weaver held steady after Jose Ramirez’s ninth-inning homer, shutting down the Guardians’ last attempt at a comeback. Josh Naylor followed with a soft grounder to second, bringing the Yankees one out away.
When Lane Thomas grounded out to end the game, the crowd erupted as New York secured a 6-3 win and a 2-0 lead in the ALCS, putting them in control of the series.
Guardians battle back in the ninth
The Guardians made a late push in the ninth inning, determined to stay in the game despite a 6-2 deficit. Yankees closer Luke Weaver took the mound with a four-run cushion, and Kyle Manzardo led off by lining out to left field.
However, Cleveland’s Jose Ramirez responded by blasting a solo home run to right field, trimming the Yankees’ lead to 6-3 with one out in the final frame.
Judge’s game-changing homer
However, Aaron Judge came through in the seventh, smashing a two-run homer to deep center off Guardians pitcher Hunter Gaddis. The blast, Judge’s first home run in 66 postseason at-bats at Yankee Stadium, extended the Yankees’ lead to 6-2.
Rizzo’s costly pickoff
The Yankees’ baserunning struggles continued when Anthony Rizzo was picked off between second and third in the sixth inning, just after the Guardians replaced Erik Sabrowski with Pedro Avila. This misstep stalled a potential rally for New York and halted the momentum they were building.
Yankees extend lead to 4-2
The Yankees pushed their lead to 4-2 in the bottom of the sixth after Anthony Rizzo’s clutch double brought home Anthony Volpe, who scored when Guardians right fielder Will Brennan bobbled the ball. With Rizzo still on second and one out, the Yankees were poised for more, but a pitch in the dirt led to Rizzo getting stranded between second and third, resulting in a costly pickoff.
Earlier in the inning, Jazz Chisholm was also picked off at second, cutting short another potential scoring opportunity for the Yankees. Despite these miscues, they held a 4-2 lead heading into the later innings.
Yankees lead 3-0
The Yankees added another run, extending their lead to 3-0, as Aaron Judge’s sacrifice fly brought Anthony Rizzo home in the bottom of the second. Cade Smith, one of baseball’s best relievers, entered with the bases loaded and one out but minimized the damage for the Guardians, allowing only the run on Judge’s fly ball.
The Yankees maintained their 3-0 lead as Cade Smith made quick work of the bottom of the third. Giancarlo Stanton grounded out to short, Jazz Chisholm Jr. popped out in foul territory at third, and Anthony Volpe struck out, keeping the Yankees’ advantage intact.
Gerrit Cole faced some traffic earlier, but the Yankees’ ace pitched out of trouble, preventing the Guardians from scoring and preserving the lead.
Yankees extend lead to 2-0
The Yankees tacked on another run, continuing to build momentum. Anthony Volpe led off the inning with a well-placed hit to center, followed by Anthony Rizzo—playing through two fractured fingers—who singled up the middle, advancing Volpe to third. Alex Verdugo then delivered with an RBI double down the left-field line, giving the Yankees a 2-0 lead.
Off the field – The offer has been raised
As shared on X.com, Yankees fan Jon Mudry has increased his playful offer for Juan Soto to $700 million during Game 2 of the ALCS, after first flashing a $600 million novelty check in Game 1. Sitting in right field, Mudry displayed the oversized check, written by his wife, with “Yankee4life” in the memo, catching the attention of TV cameras as Soto took his position. His enthusiasm for keeping Soto in New York resonates with many fans, especially after Soto’s home run in the third inning helped secure a 5-2 victory. Mudry believes Soto’s youth, championship experience, and fan connection could further boost his value this offseason.
Yankees capitalize on Guardians’ error, Gerrit Cole cruises
In the bottom of the first, the Yankees jumped on an opportunity created by a Guardians misplay. Gleyber Torres opened the frame with a double down the left-field line, just past the glove of third baseman Jose Ramirez. Juan Soto followed with a single to right, advancing Torres to third. A seemingly routine popup by Aaron Judge to shortstop Brayan Rocchio turned into a costly error, as Rocchio dropped the ball, allowing Torres to score and Soto to move to second. Despite the miscue, Guardians pitcher Tanner Bibee limited further damage by striking out Austin Wells and Jazz Chisholm Jr. to end the inning.
Meanwhile, Gerrit Cole remained in control on the mound. After allowing a leadoff single to Josh Naylor in the second inning, Cole quickly retired the next three batters—Lane Thomas on a flyout to center, Will Brennan on a strikeout, and Andres Gimenez on a popout in foul territory. With just 27 pitches through two innings, Cole is cruising early.
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Coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. ET
Pre-game analysis
New York’s disciplined approach at the plate played a key role in their Game 1 victory, as the Yankees worked seven walks while Cleveland’s hitters struggled, striking out 14 times. Gerrit Cole, who will make his ninth postseason start as a Yankee tonight, stressed the importance of staying sharp against the Guardians’ contact-heavy lineup. “We need to play clean baseball,” Cole said, acknowledging Cleveland’s aggressive baserunning and ability to apply pressure.
Yankees’ winning formula
Catch Game 2 on TBS, truTV, and Max, with first pitch set for 7:38 p.m. ET. Join our live coverage starting at 7:30 p.m. ET for updates, analysis, and key moments from Yankee Stadium.
Starting Lineups:
Yankees:
- DJ LeMahieu (R) – 1B
- Aaron Judge (R) – RF
- Gleyber Torres (R) – 2B
- Giancarlo Stanton (R) – DH
- Anthony Rizzo (L) – 1B
- Oswaldo Cabrera (S) – LF
- Austin Wells (L) – C
- Anthony Volpe (R) – SS
- Oswald Peraza (R) – 3B
Guardians:
- Steven Kwan (L) – LF
- Kyle Manzardo (L) – DH
- José Ramírez (S) – 3B
- Josh Naylor (L) – 1B
- Lane Thomas (R) – CF
- Will Brennan (L) – RF
- Andrés Giménez (L) – 2B
- Bo Naylor (L) – C
- Brayan Rocchio (S) – SS
Starting Pitchers:
- Yankees: Gerrit Cole (4-0, 1.98 ERA in postseason starts vs. Cleveland)
- Guardians: Tanner Bibee (1-0, 2 runs allowed in 8 2/3 postseason innings)
Stay with us for real-time updates and in-depth analysis as the Yankees look to secure a 2-0 lead in the ALCS.
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