NEW YORK — It was a good news, bad news situation for the Guardians heading into Game 2 of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium Tuesday night.
The Good news is that they had Tanner Bibee on the mound, and because of how Game 1 unfolded , they had Emmanuel Clase, Cade Smith, Hunter Gaddis and Tim Herrin well rested and ready to go in Game 2.
The bad news for Cleveland? The Yankees countered with Gerrit Cole, the reigning Cy Young Award winner.
The worst news for the Guardians? The Yankees won 6-3 Tuesday to take a 2-0 series lead as Bibee didn't last long, Clase never got in the game and Cole wasn't sharp, but avoided big damage before an early exit and got good run support.
Here's how Game 2 unfolded through our live score updates and analysis.
The Yankees have beaten the Guardians 6-3 to win Game 2 of the ALCS. The Guardians will return to Cleveland down 2-0 in the series.
The Guardians have played their best with their backs against the wall, but that'll be tested to a high degree in this series.
The Guardians will need a lot more, and in a hurry, but Jose Ramirez lined a solo home ru nto the short porch in right field to make it a 6-3 score. That's his second home run of the postseason.
The Guardians have only two outs left to put together a rally.
Aaron Judge belted a two-run home run to center field off of Hunter Gaddis, and the Yankees now have a 6-2 lead.
That was Judge's first home run of the 2024 postseason. And it was a loud one. The Yankees had been waiting for Judge to wake up a bit this October, and that was a big moment for it.
Erik Sabrowski picked off Jazz Chisolm at second base, but Will Brennan then committed a costly error in right field.
With Anthony Volpe on first, Anthony Rizzo lined a ball just over the glove of Josh Naylor at first base. The ball hit off the wall along the right-field line, and Brennan had to adjust his route. He also tried to pick it up barehanded and missed, allowing Volpe to score all the way from first.
The Yankees now lead 4-2.
ALCS Game 1 takeaways: Cleveland Guardians ALCS Game 1: Alex Cobb pitching through hip, back injuries
That was a big inning for the Guardians. Facing Aaron Judge, Austin Wells and Giancarlo Stanton, Eli Morgan worked a quick 1-2-3 inning, and Cleveland will enter the sixth inning trailing 3-2.
The down side to the Guardians pinch-hitting David Fry for Bo Naylor with the bases loaded earlier in the game is that it led to Austin Hedges having to bat with the bases loaded in the fifth, and Clay Holmes struck him out to end the inning with the Yankees still leading 3-2.
Possible Austin Wells injury; Yankees checking on catcher
The Yankees training staff is checking on catcher Austin Wells. On a ball in the dirt, it appears as though he might have hurt a finger on his throwing hand. Wells is staying in the game.
It's a one-run game.
Will Brennan grounded a ball to the right side, and Anthony Rizzo's only play was to second base. It's 3-2 Yankees with two outs in the fifth and runners on the corners.
Gerrit Cole walked Lane Thomas to again load the bases, and he won't escape the fifth inning. The Yankees are turning to Clay Holmes.
Will Brennan and Andres Gimenez are due up. The Guardians have a great chance to do some damage here.
Steven Kwan shot a single to the left side, Kyle Manzardo singled to right field and Jose Ramirez drew a walk to load the bases with nobody out for Josh Naylor.
Cole, still trying to find his command a bit, fell behind 2-0 before Naylor hit a sacrifice fly to right field, making the score 3-1 in the top of the fifth inning.
Ramirez then stole second base to put two runners in scoring position.
The Guardians had a high-leverage opportunity in the fourth inning, and they got aggressive with it.
Gerrit Cole walked Andres Gimenez to load the bases with one out, and that led to David Fry pinch-hitting for Bo Naylor. But Fry popped out on the first pitch he saw for the second out.
Gerrit Cole then struck out Brayan Rocchio looking, and the Guardians will let a golden opportunity slip away.
Tim Herrin is coming in to pitch.
Cade Smith mostly did his job, only allowing one run in a tough spot on an Aaron Judge sacrifice fly to center field. Smith then struck out Austin Wells to end the inning with the Yankees leading 3-0.
Once again, the Guardians have an uphill battle, and they'll have to try to mount a comeback against Cole.
Cade Smith is entering the game in an extremely dangerous situation: the bases loaded with Aaron Judge at the plate.
With runners on second and third, the Guardians decided to intentionally walk Juan Soto, which will load the bases for Judge. Smith will face him with one out away in the inning.
This is as high leverage of a situation can possibly be in the second inning of a game.
Bibee only threw 39 pitches, so there's a chance he could come back on short rest, possibly for Game 5 (which would have been Alex Cobb's day.
A pair of singles to open the second inning put runners on the corners with nobody out, and Alex Verdugo lined an RBI double down the left-field line that gives the Yankees a 2-0 lead with nobody out in the second inning and the top of the New York order due up.
The Yankees are threatening to put this one away early if this inning gets away from Bibee.
Cade Smith is already warming up in the Cleveland bullpen.
In a postseason re-match of Josh Naylor's "rock the baby" celebration against Gerrit Cole, Naylor singled to right field to momentarily silence the chorus of boos that have followed him around New York ever since the 2022 postseason.
Cole sat down the Guardians in order after that, and the Yankees will maintain their 1-0 lead.
Tanner Bibee pulled off a terrific inning to only allow one unearned run considering the Yankees had runners on the corners with nobody out and Aaron Judge up to the plate.
Will Brennan also made a terrific sliding catch in foul territory to retire Giancarlo Stanton.
For the moment, Rocchio's error looms large, as New York has a 1-0 lead with a former Cy Young winner on the mound.
Brayan Rocchio had been having such a tremendous postseason. He was building up so much good will, so much positive momentum. But a massive gaffe in the first inning will put a blemish on all of that.
Gleyber Torres opened the first inning with a double off Tanner Bibee, and Juan Soto followed with a single that put runners on the corners for Aaron Judge.
Bibee induced a pop-up from Judge, which is a huge break for the Guardians, but Rocchio missed the routine play, and the ball bounced off his glove and into shallow right field, allowing Torres to score.
It's 1-0 Yankees, and there are still no outs.
Gerrit Cole had a breezy first inning, though Jose Ramirez narrowly missed a home run down the right-field line, though he pulled it foul and then hit a deep flyout to right field.
It's still scoreless.
The Guardians had to have a few difficult conversations with Ben Lively to inform him that he wouldn't be on their first two playoff roster. But now, Lively has a chance to play a key factor in the ALCS.
Major League Baseball has approved a roster move for Lively to replace Alex Cobb, who is dealing with hip and back issues.
Manager Stephen Vogt noted pregame that the team is still working through how they'll handle Games 3, 4 and 5, and particularly how Lively will fit into those plans. Cobb would have been in line to start Game 5 if not for the lower back strain.
"I have to talk about how bummed we are for Alex, everything he's been through this year and with us in and out, IL, off the IL, and for him to have a new back strain last night, I just feel for him and what he's been through and so thankful for what he gave us," Vogt said.
Guardians have 4 Gold Glove finalists
The Guardians have four Gold Glove finalists, as announced Tuesday afternoon .
Below is some pregame information.
Guardians lineup for ALCS Game 2 vs. New York Yankees
- Steven Kwan, LF
- Kyle Manzardo, DH
- Jose Ramirez, 3B
- Josh Naylor, 1B
- Lane Thomas, CF
- Will Brennan, RF
- Andres Gimenez, 2B
- Bo Naylor, C
- Brayan Rocchio, SS
New York Yankees lineup for ALCS Game 2 vs. Cleveland Guardians
- Gleyber Torres, 2B
- Juan Soto, RF
- Aaron Judge, CF
- Austin Wells, C
- Giancarlo Stanton, DH
- Jazz Chisholm Jr., 3B
- Anthony Volpe, SS
- Anthony Rizzo, 1B
- Alex Verdugo, LF
Guardians ALCS roster vs. New York Yankees
The Guardians made one change from their ALDS roster as they constructed their ALCS roster and announced it Monday morning.
How can I watch/stream/listen to Guardians-Yankees ALCS Game 2
Every game of the American League Championship Series will air on TNT and will simulcast on TBS and Max. The game will be broadcast over the radio via WMMS 100.7, WTAM 1100, WARF 1350 and ESPN Radio.
Guardians-Yankees ALCS schedule, game times
- Game 1: Cleveland Guardians at New York Yankees - Monday, Oct. 14, 7:38 p.m.
- Game 2: Cleveland Guardians at New York Yankees - Tuesday, Oct. 15, 7:38 p.m.
- Game 3: New York Yankees at Cleveland Guardians - Thursday, Oct. 17, 5:08 p.m.
- Game 4: New York Yankees at Cleveland Guardians - Friday, Oct. 18, 8:08 p.m.
- Game 5: New York Yankees at Cleveland Guardians - Saturday, Oct. 19, 8:08 p.m.*
- Game 6: Cleveland Guardians at New York Yankees - Monday, Oct. 21, 5:08 p.m.*
- Game 7: Cleveland Guardians at New York Yankees - Tuesday, Oct. 22, 7:38 p.m.*
When is the 2024 World Series?
The World Series is scheduled to begin Friday, Oct. 25, with Game 2 the next night. Games 3-5 are scheduled for Oct. 28-30. If necessary, Games 6 and 7 are Nov. 1-2. Fox will televise all World Series games.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Guardians vs. New York Yankees score, highlights | ALCS Game 2 recap
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