Carlos Rodon put in a stellar performance, guiding the New York Yankees to a solid start in the AL Championship Series by defeating the Cleveland Guardians 5-2 in Game 1 at Yankee Stadium.
On a chilly night in mid-October, Rodon pitched six innings, allowing just one run from Brayan Rocchio’s solo homer, while striking out nine and not issuing any walks. The Yankees capitalized on the Guardians’ starter Alex Cobb, who was chased early from the game.
The Yankees began the scoring in the third inning with a solo home run by Juan Soto, marking the start of a three-run surge. Aaron Judge added a sacrifice fly in the fourth, earning his first RBI of the postseason, while Giancarlo Stanton’s impressive seventh-inning solo homer further secured the Yankees’ lead.
In the eighth inning, Luke Weaver took the mound for a five-out save, successfully closing the game despite the Guardians pressing with a runner on base. The crowd cheered loudly as Weaver struck out Austin Hedges to end the game.
First baseman Anthony Rizzo, recently activated after recovering from fractured fingers, contributed to the game’s effort, going 1-for-3 before being replaced for defensive reasons.
Weaver entered during a tense moment with runners on the corners and managed to retire both Will Brennan and the dangerous Jose Ramirez. Earlier in the game, Yankees reliever Tim Hill had faced trouble after blocking Rocchio on the basepath, which allowed Steven Kwan to drive in a run with a single.
Stanton’s powerful home run marked another highlight in the game, as he recorded his second homer in the playoffs. Rodon had alternated strong performances, especially after struggling in previous outings, and had notched a remarkable strikeout statistic throughout the game.
The Yankees, looking to maintain their postseason momentum, had a strong lead heading into the late innings thanks to their pitching and timely hitting. Overall, Game 1 showed the Yankees’ capability and strategic advantages in the early stages of the ALCS.