Judge launches first home run of the postseason as the Yankees defeat the Guardians 6-3, taking a commanding 2-0 lead in the ALCS
Aaron Judge launched the ball towards Monument Park while Gleyber Torres advanced from first base.
“That was quite disrespectful from Gleyber, honestly,” Judge remarked with a grin. “He’s witnessed me hit 58 of those this season.”
Judge’s initial home run of the postseason alleviated the pressure, a two-run shot in the seventh inning that propelled the New York Yankees to a 6-3 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday night, giving them a 2-0 lead in the AL Championship Series.
“I’m somewhat disappointed in Gleyber for not recognizing Judge’s power,” Anthony Rizzo commented. “We were giving him a hard time about that. It was a significant swing for Judgey.”
Entering the game with only one RBI in the playoffs, Judge contributed a sacrifice fly in a two-run second inning that put the Yankees ahead 3-0, following Cleveland’s intentional walk of Juan Soto to load the bases.
“You aim to induce a double-play ball,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt stated. “The goal is to secure two outs with a single pitch.”
Judge, who topped the major leagues with 58 home runs and 144 RBIs, expressed understanding of the situation.
“I would likely walk him as well,” he acknowledged.
With New York leading 4-2 in the seventh inning, the probable AL MVP connected with a fastball from Hunter Gaddis, sending it 414 feet to center for his 14th career postseason home run.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone remarked, “That was a significant swing that provided us with a comfortable lead. The bench was quite enthusiastic when that occurred.”
Judge also displayed a lighthearted attitude regarding Torres’ decision to tag up.
“On these windy, chilly nights, you can never predict how the ball will behave when hit to center field,” he noted. “However, it certainly felt like the ghosts were guiding it toward Monument Park.”
In a contest featuring two aces who struggled, Cleveland’s Tanner Bibee managed only four outs, marking the briefest start of his professional career, while an inconsistent Gerrit Cole was removed after issuing four walks in 4 1/3 innings.
“I simply need to perform better; I must improve,” stated the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner.
Clay Holmes, Tim Hill, and Tommy Kahnle collectively delivered 3 2/3 scoreless innings.
In the ninth inning, José Ramírez hit a home run off Luke Weaver, representing only the second earned run allowed by New York’s bullpen over 23 1/3 innings in six postseason games.
Following a day off, Game 3 is scheduled for Thursday in Cleveland. The Yankees currently lead the ALCS 2-0 for the first time since 2009 against the Los Angeles Angels.
Torres reached base for the fifth time in the playoffs and recorded three hits. Rizzo contributed two hits and has a total of 3 for 7 in the two games since returning from a pair of fractured fingers that sidelined him during the Division Series.
Rookie shortstop Brayan Rocchio and right fielder Will Brennan made errors that allowed runs for the Guardians. Rocchio mishandled Judge’s popup in the first inning, which enabled Torres to score.
“I have no excuse; I need to make that play,” Rocchio expressed through an interpreter. “I believed I was positioned correctly under the ball, but at the last moment, I leaned toward second base.”
After Cleveland narrowed the score to 3-2, Brennan mishandled the ball while attempting a barehanded pickup of Rizzo’s double in the sixth inning, which had bounced off the low wall along the right-field line. Anthony Volpe, who was on first base, dashed home.
Steven Kwan has extended his postseason hitting streak for the Cleveland franchise to 12 games.
In the second inning, Alex Verdugo contributed with an opposite-field RBI double, which deflected off the shoulder of left field umpire Vic Carapazza before rolling down the line.
Cole managed to navigate through a challenging situation in the third inning with two runners on and one out, and he also escaped a bases-loaded scenario in the fourth. This was achieved when pinch-hitter David Fry fouled out, followed by Rocchio striking out on a knuckle curve that was called at the top of the strike zone after a nine-pitch at-bat.
Cleveland narrowed the score to 3-2 in the fifth inning when Josh Naylor delivered a sacrifice fly. Following this, after Holmes took over with the bases loaded, Will Brennan executed a run-scoring forceout. Holmes then struck out Austin Hedges with a low sinker, leaving the bases full.
“They made a bit of a push, but we managed to halt it,” Holmes remarked.
Cleveland struggled significantly, going 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position and leaving 11 runners on base. The Guardians have recorded only 1 for 11 in RISP throughout the series.
“We’re just one swing away from taking the lead in that game,” Vogt stated. “We’re one swing away from being right back in it. That’s our identity. We don’t give up. We just need to continue being ourselves.”
SportsLigue