About Last Night: NYY 5, CLE 2

By Ethan Semendinger

October 15th, 2024

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The ALCS is now upon us, and with a Yankees win in the books from a dominant Rodon performance and some key wild pitches.

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Quick Stats -

• Winning Pitcher: Carlos Rodon (1-1, 4.66 ERA)

• Losing Pitcher: Alex Cobb (0-2, 7.94 ERA)

• Save: Luke Weaver (4)

• Home Runs (Cleveland): Brayan Rocchio (1)

• Home Runs (New York): Juan Soto (1), Giancarlo Stanton (2)

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Big Story - After taking a win in the ALDS against the Kansas City Royals in 4 games, the Yankees were set up to face another AL Central opponent, though at the time they didn't know who. As the Yankees got to relax with the series won, the Detroit Tigers met the Cleveland Guardians in Ohio to play a winner-take-all game 5. Ultimately, the Guardians prevailed on Saturday, winning the prize of a match-up in the Bronx.

The Yankees looked fine in their ALDS series. The offense scored 14 runs in 4 games (on average, a little more than 3 per game), and a starting pitching staff that allowed 12 runs in 4 games. However, where the Yankees won was from their bullpen: who didn't allow a single earned run to score over 15.2 innings.

The Guardians scored 19 runs over their 5 games against the Tigers (nearly 4 per game, on average) but they were also shut-out twice in the series. Their offense was either hot or cold, with no in between. Their pitching allowed 13 runs in the series, with more runs being charged to their bullpen (9) than their starters (4).

In other pre-game news, the Yankees also set their rosters with two notable moves: adding Anthony Rizzo (who is starting at first base, batting 8th) after recently breaking some fingers, and adding Marcus Stroman while removing Duke Ellis (pinch runner, was used once in the ALDS) and Ben Rice (third string 1B and C who wasn't used in the ALDS).

With that table set, here was the Yankees line-up for the game:

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Player(s) of the Game -

• Carlos Rodon: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 9 K's, WIN!

Notable Performances -

• Juan Soto: 2-3, Run, Home Run (Solo), 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K

• Giancarlo Stanton: 1-3, 2 Runs, Home Run (Solo), 1 RBI, 1 BB

• Gleyber Torres: 1-4, Run, 1 BB

• Aaron Judge: 0-2, Run, 1 RBI (Sac Fly), 1 BB, 1 K

• Clay Holmes: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

• Luke Weaver: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K's, SAVE!

Better to Forget -

• Tim Hill: 0.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 0 K's

• Austin Wells: 0-4, 2 K's

• Jazz Chisholm: 0-4, 2 K's

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The Game - Today's game recap will be written in half-inning segments of my thoughts.

Top of the First: Steven Kwan worked a long at-bat to start the game (wouldn't it be nice to have a high average lead-off guy?), but Rodon got through it. David Fry's hit was off a low fastball, which could be Rodon's kryptonite. Though, Rodon did look good against Jose Ramirez and Lane Thomas. I'm also very happy he kept his emotion in check after the inning-ending strikeout. Rodon needs to keep his cool for this to be a great start for him.

Bottom of the First: I'm not usually a fan of the "attack early" approach, but that was a beautiful swing by Gleyber to get a lead-off single. Juan Soto followed it up with another hit right over the infielders into shallow center to set up a great situation. But, Aaron Judge was unjustly called for a strikeout after a bad strike 2 call and it fell apart from there. (Note: The umpires doing a bad job doesn't excuse Judge's lack of production.) Austin Wells moved the runners over in a groundout, and Giancarlo Stanton took a ball deep, but it was held in by the ballpark for an easy flyball out. The Yankees leave two runners on yet again.

Top of the Second: I haven't forgotten about Josh Naylor's antics from 2022, and that strikeout from Rodon looked very good. Another single (but this one from a pitch way off the plate), but Rodon again pitched well afterwards to get an easy flyball and another big inning-ending strikeout.

Bottom of the Second: Jazz Chisholm fell victim to the "Aaron Judge" treatment with the home plate umpire calling another terrible strike to ruin an at-bat. It's getting to the level of Aaron Boone needing to get tossed early. Anthony Volpe couldn't get the ball out of the infield, but Anthony Rizzo did to get on base with 2 outs and Alex Verdugo had a nice hit himself to follow it up. But, again, the Yankees couldn't get a hit with runners in scoring position to get on the board first. Gleyber should've taken a pitch or two in that at-bat (even if the swing-first approach worked in the 1st).

Top of the Third: The lead-off strikeout against was a nice job by Rodon and Wells (dropped third) to start the inning well against Rocchio. To get Steven Kwan out quickly was also very nice, and Alex Verdugo did a great job navigating the wind to secure the second out. And AGAIN (!) Carlos Rodon finished the inning with a strikeout and looked calm and confident afterwards. Yes, yes, yes. This is good.

Bottom of the Third: LET'S GOOO!!! JUAN SOTO GETS THE YANKEES ON THE BOARD FIRST WITH A SOLO HOME RUN! And the Yankees were able to make quick work of Alex Cobb after with walks from Judge, Stanton, and Volpe- in between, Wells struck out and Chisholm flew out- which sent Cleveland to their bullpen early..to bring in a guy who couldn't throw strikes...OR PITCHES TO HIS CATCHER! AARON JUDGE SCORES ON A WILD PITCH! And Anthony Rizzo worked a walk to re-load the bases. ONLY FOR THE NEW GUY (Joey Cantillo) TO THROW ANOTHER WILD PITCH FOR STANTON TO SCORE! It's a shame Verdugo stuck out swinging at ball 3. The Yankees are 0-6 with RISP, but the walk (and wild pitch) has been helping them out big time this postseason.

Top of the Fourth: Aaron Judge looked very good to catch up and to run down that Ramirez flyball to start the inning. When things start clicking around the game, everything works. (I'm trying to will a great Judge at-bat this game.) That was followed by another good Wells-Rodon-Rizzo job to get a strikeout there on a dropped third strike in the dirt. And followed again by yet ANOTHER INNING ENDING STRIKE-OUT! RODON IS ON TONIGHT.

Bottom of the Fourth: The Guardians brought back Joey Cantillo, who did exactly what he did in the third inning. Gleyber worked a lead-off walk and was able to get to third on TWO wild pitches during a Juan Soto walk. This was enough for Cleveland to watch, so they went to Pedro Avila, who Aaron Judge worked a productive flyout off of to score Gleyber from third. Wells flew out too (boring) and Stanton nearly took one the opposite way, if only the wind wasn't blow in from right tonight.

Top of the Fifth: Austin Wells started the inning by showing Bo Naylor had to block a pitch, which led to another dropped third strike out. Bo Naylor then grounded out to Rizzo for an easy second out. And would you believe it if I told you that Rodon finished the fifth with his FIFTH STRAIGHT INNING-ENDING STRIKEOUT! This is so much fun to watch.

Bottom of the Fifth: The Yankees gave in an easy 1-2-3 inning, but I've had some time to think about the line-up. Leave the top 3 guys and Stanton where they are. Then, move Rizzo to the clean-up spot for the rest of this series. Verdugo should then be moved behind Stanton, Wells should go where Chisholm is, and Chisholm should go to the 9-hole. This keeps the righty-lefty split, puts speed at the bottom of the line-up. If Chisholm doesn't hit, maybe try Berti at third.

Top of the Sixth: Darn, it's a shame Rodon couldn't keep the shutout going after that Rocchio lead-off homer, but it's now on Rodon to keep this inning clean. The Kwan groundout (great play by Chisholm) will help a lot with that. Soto caught the second out easily, and Aaron Judge did the same to finish the inning and save Rodon's great start! If I'm Boone, I go to my bullpen for the last 9 outs and let Rodon leave on a high note to keep building for later this postseason.

Bottom of the Sixth: This half-inning was not fun, but at least the Guardians removed their good reliever.

Top of the Seventh: It was the smart move to take Rodon out of the game and to give Clay Holmes a clean inning here, which Holmes rewards with an easy groundout to start the inning, followed by an easy flyout to Judge from Josh Naylor. And Holmes finished the inning with a gutsy inning-ending strikeout!

Bottom of the Seventh: I was about to copy and paste my report from the 6th inning here, but then GIANCARLO STANTON HIT A BOMB! He has that October magic and I love it.

Top of the Eighth: I was with Aaron Boone on trying to give the bullpen some rest with a Tim Hill 8th. It didn't work, obviously. I've also never heard of that interference call before, be it in the rules or not, there is no way it was written to turn the game of baseball into a sport where you look to collide with the man covering first base. Regardless, Boone pulled Hill at the right time and did the right move by going to Luke Weaver to get 5 outs. And Weaver easily got the first two. I look forward to seeing him in the 9th.

Bottom of the Eighth: All the bottom of the eighth convinced me of is that Anthony Rizzo should be batting in the clean-up spot tomorrow. The line-up should be: Torres, Soto, Judge, Rizzo, Stanton, Verdugo, Volpe, Wells, and Chisholm.

Top of the Ninth: Going into the inning, Oswaldo Cabrera came in to replace Anthony Rizzo at first base. I've been seeing it's strictly about defense and keeping Rizzo healthy. Regardless, this inning is about Luke Weaver, who started off with an uncharacteristic walk before getting a nice strikeout on Josh Naylor, another nice strikeout on Daniel Schneeman, and on Austin Hedges!

Bottom of the Ninth: NOT NEEDED!

YANKEES WIN!

THEEEEEEEE YANKEES WIN!

SEE YOU ALL TOMORROW NIGHT!

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Next Up - The Yankees will play the Guardians in Game Two of the ALCS, starting at 7:38 PM on TBS. Gerrit Cole (1-0, 3.00 ERA) will take the mound for the Yankees, as he comes off a dominant performance in Game 4 of the ALDS. Meanwhile, Tanner Bibee (0-0, 2.08 ERA) takes the mound for Cleveland, who lasted just 4 innings (2 runs off 4 hits with 2 walks) in his last start in the ALDS against the Tigers. LET'S GO YANKEES!