ALCS Game 1: Yankees overtake Guardians, win 5-2, take lead in series 1-0

The New York Yankees got a jump into the American League Championship Series on Monday.

The Yankees blew past the Cleveland Guardians to catch the ball in a 5-2 victory in Game 1 of the ALCS at Yankee Stadium. That gave them a 1-0 series lead and three wins away from their first World Series since 2009.

The Yankees, joined by pop star Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs, entered the third inning on Monday. First, Juan Soto opened the game with a solo home run in deep field. It was his first postseason home run.

Joey Cantillo had a bit of a meltdown on the mound after replacing starter Alex Cobb. He allowed the Yankees two more runs on wild pitches, giving New York a 3-0 lead. Cantillo eventually struck out Alex Verdugo to end the inning – his second wild pitch bounced in front of the plate, allowing Giancarlo Stanton to sneak home – but he walked two more batters in the next inning before being replaced by Pedro Avila.

The Yankees added another run in the fourth quarter when Aaron Judge hit a sacrifice fly that scored Gleyber Torres to extend the lead to four.

Although the Guardians finally got there in the sixth period on a solo home run by Brayan Rocchio and added another run when Steven Kwan hit an RBI single in the eighth, they were as close as they could get. The Yankees scored one more on Stanton's solo shot in the seventh and held on for the victory, earning a three-run victory.

Yankees starter Carlos Rodón had nine strikeouts and allowed three hits in six innings on the mound. Luke Weaver came in for a five-out save and closed out the game by striking out Austin Hedges. Weaver is the first pitcher since 2017 to record three saves with more than three outs in a single postseason.

The two teams will play again on Tuesday before the series moves to Cleveland for a third game. The Guardians haven't beaten the ALDS since losing to the Chicago Cubs in the 2016 World Series.

THE LIVE COVERAGE HAS ENDED38 updates

  • Final: Yankees 5, Guardians 2

    And that's enough. The Yankees officially win and take a 1-0 series lead over the Guardians.

  • ALCS Game 1: Yankees overtake Guardians, win 5-2, take lead in series 1-0

    It's a short round for the Rangers, so let's move on to nine. The Yankees are now just three outs away from winning Game 1.

  • Luke Weaver is getting out of trouble

    Luke Weaver leads the Yankees in the eighth, striking out pinch-hitter Will Brennan and getting Jose Ramirez to second with five pitches.

    The Yankees are heading into the bottom of the eighth.

  • The Rangers cut the deficit to 5–2

    Steven Kwan homered Andres Gimenez, cutting the Yankees' lead to 5–2.

    That's enough for Aaron Boone, who closes in on Luke Weaver and gives him a chance for five outs.

  • The Rangers have runners on 2B and 3B with no outs on the interference call

    The Guardians have two runners, with one going in the top eight. Andres Gimenez singles, then Brayan Rocchio singles. However, Tim Hill was ruled to have obstructed Rocchio as he rounded first base. So Gimenez gets third base and Rocchio gets second base.

  • Giancarlo Stanton gives the Yankees a 5-1 lead

    Erik Sabrowski almost got out of the seventh inning, retiring Aaron Judge and Austin Wells. He then delivered a single to Giancarlo Stanton, who drove the ball into the left field corner.

    No doubt about the home run.

  • Clay Holmes pitches a scoreless 7th

    Three up, three down for the Rangers in the top of the seventh. Lane Thomas singled to second base, Josh Naylor singled to center field and pinch-hitter Kyle Manzardo struck out.

    Stretching time in the seventh round!

  • Clay Holmes now pitches for the Yankees

    Erik Sabrowski defeated Juan Soto to finish the sixth round. Clay Holmes now takes the mound for the Yankees.

    Carlos Rodon's bottom line: 6 innings, 1 run, 3 hits and 9 strikeouts.

  • Change in Cleveland's lineup

    After a shot by Alex Verdugo and a shot by Gleyber Torres in the middle of the pitch, Pedro Avila is sent off. Left-hander Erik Sabrowski now with the Guardians.

  • A short story

    MLB.com's Yankees beat writer Bryan Hoch has fun with Taylor Swift on the field:

  • Carlos Rodon drops out of 6th place

    Carlos Rodon breaks out of the top six, but Jose Ramirez hit his final shot (of nine) to deep left center. Aaron Judge tracked it down late in the round.

    Rodon retired three straight batters after giving up Brayan Rocchio's home run, then Steven Kwan grounded the ball to third base and flew out David Fry just before Ramirez passed the ball.

    This was probably Rodon's last round. He threw 93 shots.

  • Guardians on the board

    Brayan Rocchio breaks Carlos Rodon's streak of 11 consecutive batters retired with a home run to left field.

    This cuts the Yankees lead to 4-1.

  • The Rangers have a much-needed 1-2-3 round

    Pedro Avila calmed things down for Cleveland late in the fifth period by pulling the team back one by one.

    Jazz Chisholm Jr. he fell to second base, Anthony Volpe flew to the warning track in right field, and Anthony Rizzo flew to left field.

    We enter the top of the sixth with the Yankees leading 4-0.

  • Carlos Rodon is rolling

    Two more strikeouts for Carlos Rodon in the top of the fifth quarter with the score being 1-2-3. He has nine strikeouts in the game and needed only 11 pitches to complete the inning.

    Rodon allowed just two hits over five innings on 70 pitches.

  • 3 fly ball outs for the Yankees in the 4th

    Pedro Avila gets three fly ball outs, one of which scored a run. Aaron Judge, Austin Wells and Giancarlo Stanton are out and the Rangers are finally out of the fourth round.

  • Aaron Judge has his first postseason RBI

    Yankees lead 4-0 on Aaron Judge's sacrifice fly to center field.

  • Turn on “Wild Thing”

    Joey Cantillo's control continues to be an issue. After hitting two wild overs and scoring in the third over, the left-hander bowled two more wild overs.

    He guided Gleyber Torres to get him off the frame. Torres then advanced to second on another wild throw, throwing a curveball that didn't curve and sailed high over Bo Naylor. One more batted pitch moved Torres to third.

    After leaving Juan Soto, Cantillo is out of the game. Runners on first and third with no outs as Pedro Avila heads to Cleveland.

  • Carlos Rodon had no problems in the fourth round

    In the fourth inning, Carlos Rodon got into foul trouble during Game 2 of the ALDS against the Royals.

    But he hits the fourth goal against the Guardians, forcing Jose Ramirez to line up in midfield before striking out Lane Thomas and Josh Naylor to end the frame.

  • Another wild jump! The Yankees lead 3-0

    Joey Cantillo hits another pitch in front of home plate and Bo Naylor can't block it. This gives Giancarlo Stanton a 3-0 Yankees lead.

    Cantillo defeated Alex Verdugo to finish the third round, but his ferocity cost the Rangers.

  • A wild pitch gives the Yankees a 2–0 lead

    Joey Cantillo skips a pitch before the plate for a wild pitch. Bo Naylor can't make it and Aaron Judge scores, giving the Yankees a 2-0 lead.

    Cantillo then walked Anthony Rizzo to load the bases again, prompting a visit from Guardians pitching coach Carl Willis.

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