Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Baseball

Aaron Judge Powers Yankees to 6-3 Victory Over Guardians, Seizing 2-0 ALCS Lead!

Aaron Judge homers, Yankees beat Guardians 6-3 for 2-0 ALCS lead

Aaron Judge homered, leading the New York Yankees to a 6-3 victory over the Cleveland Guardians, securing a commanding 2-0 lead in the American League Championship Series. This marked Judge’s first home run of the postseason, as he sent a two-run shot soaring into Monument Park.

Entering the game with just one run batted in during the playoffs, Judge contributed significantly by hitting a sacrifice fly in the second inning, helping the Yankees jump to a 3-0 lead. In the seventh inning, with the Yankees ahead 4-2, the likely AL MVP connected on a fastball from Hunter Gaddis, launching it 414 feet to center field for his 14th career postseason home run.

The game featured two aces who struggled on the mound. Cleveland’s Tanner Bibee had a rough outing, only managing four outs, marking the shortest start of his professional career. Meanwhile, Gerrit Cole faced challenges of his own, issuing four walks and lasting just 4 1/3 innings.

Relievers Clay Holmes, Tim Hill, and Tommy Kahnle were instrumental in the win, combining for 3 2/3 scoreless innings. José Ramírez did manage to hit a ninth-inning home run off Luke Weaver, but it was only the second earned run allowed by the Yankees’ bullpen in 23 1/3 innings across six postseason games.

With a day off before Game 3 on Thursday in Cleveland, the Yankees are in a strong position, leading the ALCS 2-0 for the first time since 2009 against the Los Angeles Angels.

New York’s Gleyber Torres had a standout performance, reaching base for the fifth time in the playoffs and recording three hits. Anthony Rizzo also contributed with two hits, improving to 3-for-7 in two games since returning from an injury that sidelined him during the Division Series.

The Guardians faced difficulties on defense, with rookie shortstop Brayan Rocchio and right fielder Will Brennan committing costly errors. Rocchio dropped Judge’s popup in the first inning, allowing Torres to score, while Brennan’s misplay of Rizzo’s double in the sixth gave the Yankees an additional run.

Steven Kwan continued to shine for Cleveland, extending his franchise-record postseason hitting streak to 12 games.

Alex Verdugo contributed with an opposite-field RBI double in the second inning that took an unusual bounce off the shoulder of left field umpire Vic Carapazza, rolling down the line.

Cleveland managed to close the gap to 3-2 in the fifth inning, thanks to a sacrifice fly from Josh Naylor and a groundout from Brennan that brought in another run. However, the Guardians struggled to capitalize on opportunities, going 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and leaving 11 runners stranded.

Cole demonstrated resilience, escaping a two-on, one-out situation in the third inning and a bases-loaded jam in the fourth, striking out pinch-hitter David Fry and Rocchio in crucial moments.

Holmes also proved effective, striking out Austin Hedges with the bases loaded in the fifth inning to maintain the lead.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Guardians: Right-handed pitcher Alex Cobb was removed from the roster due to a lower back strain sustained in the opener, replaced by Ben Lively.

UP NEXT

The Yankees will send right-hander Clarke Schmidt to the mound on Thursday in Cleveland. Schmidt previously allowed two runs and four hits over 4 2/3 innings in Division Series Game 3, where New York ultimately triumphed 3-2. Earlier this season, he faced the Guardians once, pitching five scoreless innings before yielding two runs—one unearned—in the sixth inning of a 3-2 victory.

Source

Written By

Dave Gallo is a leading sports bettor and handicapper since 1999, known for his impressive 10-0 winning streaks. A journalism, advertising, and media studies major at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he combines his betting expertise with academic knowledge. Gallo's strong work ethic and passion for sports fuel his ongoing success and scholarly pursuits.

You May Also Like

Baseball

Braves’ Chris Sale caps off comeback season by winning NL Cy Young, marking a remarkable turnaround in his career. The Atlanta Braves ace, Chris...

Baseball

Freddie Freeman’s walk-off grand slam ball from Game 1 of the World Series is set to hit the auction block, capturing the attention of...

Baseball

Cleveland’s Stephen Vogt and Milwaukee’s Pat Murphy have both earned the prestigious Manager of the Year awards, with Vogt claiming the American League honor...

Baseball

Tampa Bay Rays have indicated that their new stadium is unlikely to be completed in time for the 2028 season, if at all, due...