The Yankees defeated the Cleveland Guardians in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series, 5-2, on Monday night.
Here are some notes from Monday’s game…
Juan Soto hits first postseason homer with Yankees
The Yankees kept knocking on the door the first two innings against Guardians starter Alex Cobb but could not get that clutch hit.
By the time the third inning rolled around, the Yankees left four runners on base and were 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position. It looked like another night where the Yankees would strand runner after runner en route to a tight loss, but Soto changed the tenor of the game in the third.
Leading off, Soto took Cobb deep, launching a 94 mph sinker over the center field wall. On a cold autumn night in The Bronx, it was impressive and gave the Yankees a spark.
“It got us on the board because at that point he was the 11th batter or so. We had a lot of good at-bats, We had traffic, had six baserunners but had nothing to show for it,” manager Aaron Boone said after the game. “So for him to break through and get us on the board and then we continued to have good at-bats from there.”
The Yankees would tack on two more runs in the third — thanks to two wild pitches that allowed a runner to score — and two more later on, which was more than enough for starter Carlos Rodon who struck out nine and allowed just one run over six innings.
Anthony Rizzo‘s first game back
Rizzo started at first base on Monday and was solid for the Yankees. He went 1-for-3 with a walk and manned his position like the veteran always does.
The Yankees were happy to have their starting first baseman back but he was lifted in the ninth inning for Oswaldo Cabrera.
Boone explained that decision after the game.
“Rizzo’s good. Hand was good. I thought he was sharp, which is good to see,” he said. “He was just physically and emotionally spent there late in the game and I felt like I needed to get him out of there.
“He hasn’t been on the field in over two weeks. He came out good with the hand, expect him in there tomorrow. Thought he had some really good at-bats.”
The Yankees skipper expects Rizzo in the lineup for Game 2 but we’ll see how the veteran feels tomorrow.
Giancarlo Stanton continues to mash
Stanton launched another home run on Monday, his second this postseason, a 439-foot moonshot into left-center field. That homer capped off the Yankees scoring in Game 1 but the slugger continues to step up for the team in October especially when others aren’t.
“Some kind of presence in the middle of our lineup there. That’s what he’s capable of,” Boone said of Stanton. “That ball is absolutely nailed on a cold night hitting the back of the bullpen there. He just missed one in his first AB…just stacking quality ABS and when he does that, he’s capable of hitting one like he did tonight.”
So far this postseason, Stanton is 7-for-19 (.368) with two home runs and five RBI — not to mention a stolen base. This comes after he hit just .233 in the regular season, which has begged the question as to how he continues to be a better hitter in the playoffs.
“Just hyper-focus,” Stanton said. “I understand how important each pitch, each moment is. I understand that you’re not always going to be successful in those moments, but anything I can do, any bit of information, of video, or swings I can do to be in my best spot in this moment.”
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