The New York Yankees kicked off the American League Championship Series with a commanding 5-2 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Monday night, setting the tone for the series. It was a combination of clutch hitting, a dominant performance on the mound from Carlos Rodón, and Cleveland’s costly mistakes that allowed the Yankees to take a 1-0 series lead.
Carlos Rodón was the star on the mound for the Yankees, delivering his first career postseason win in a stellar performance. Rodón struck out nine Guardians batters, walking none over his six innings of work. His command was on full display, with an impressive 25 swings and misses among 53 swings, tying for the fourth-most in a postseason game since pitch-tracking began in 2008.
Rodón’s effort was pivotal in rebounding from a tough outing in the Division Series, where he suffered the Yankees’ only loss. He limited Cleveland‘s offense to just two singles until Brayan Rocchio’s solo homer in the sixth, keeping the Guardians’ bats in check for most of the night.
The Yankees‘ offense was bolstered by the power of Juan Soto and Giancarlo Stanton. Soto’s third-inning homer was the highlight of a three-run inning for New York, giving the Yankees a lead they would not relinquish. It marked another key moment in Soto’s postseason, where his bat has continued to shine.
Stanton, a postseason veteran, added his 13th career playoff homer later in the game, padding the Yankees’ lead. Stanton’s blast put New York up 5-1 and provided crucial insurance as the Yankees chased their 41st AL pennant, which would extend their own record.
Cleveland’s pitching staff had a night to forget, plagued by wildness that played directly into the Yankees’ hands. Guardians pitchers issued six walks in a span of just nine batters, contributing to New York’s third-inning surge. In total, Cleveland issued nine walks throughout the game, which prevented them from establishing any rhythm on the mound.
Adding to their woes, the Guardians made history in an unfortunate way, becoming just the second team to throw two run-scoring wild pitches in a single postseason inning. They also tied a postseason record with five wild pitches overall, making it nearly impossible to keep New York’s lineup in check.
After Rodón’s strong start, the Yankees turned to their bullpen to shut down any potential Guardians’ comeback. Clay Holmes faced trouble in the eighth inning when Steven Kwan’s RBI single cut the lead to 5-2, extending Kwan’s postseason hitting streak to 11 games—a new team record for the Guardians. But Luke Weaver, stepping in with runners on the corners, quickly extinguished Cleveland’s hopes.
Weaver struck out pinch-hitter Will Brennan and induced a groundout from José Ramírez to escape the eighth. He then recorded three consecutive strikeouts after a leadoff walk in the ninth, earning his fourth save of the postseason.
The series shifts to Game 2 at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday night, where the Yankees will look to build on their momentum and take a commanding 2-0 series lead. Historically, teams that win Game 1 of a series with a 2-3-2 format have gone on to advance 66 out of 99 times, adding pressure to the Guardians to even the series.
The Yankees have relied heavily on their ability to draw walks, racking up 36 free passes over their five postseason games. If Cleveland’s pitching staff can’t find better control in Game 2, they risk digging a deeper hole against a Yankees team hungry to return to the World Series.
With power hitting, disciplined at-bats, and a dominant ace like Rodón leading the way, New York has made a strong opening statement in this ALCS matchup. The Guardians, meanwhile, will need to find answers quickly to prevent the Yankees from running away with the series.
