The New York Yankees began the AL Championship Series on a high note, defeating the Cleveland Guardians 5-2 in Game 1 at Yankee Stadium on a chilly mid-October evening.
Carlos Rodon was the star of the night, delivering a stellar performance on the mound. He pitched six innings, allowing just one run on three hits, with no walks and nine strikeouts. The Yankees capitalized on Guardians starter Alex Cobb, who had a rough outing and was pulled early.
The Yankees struck first with a solo home run from Juan Soto in the third inning, igniting a three-run rally. Aaron Judge contributed with a sacrifice fly in the fourth for his first postseason RBI, while Giancarlo Stanton extended the lead with a massive solo home run in the seventh.
Luke Weaver took the mound to close the game, securing a five-out save in front of 47,264 fans by striking out Austin Hedges in the ninth inning. First baseman Anthony Rizzo, recently activated after recovering from fractured fingers, made his return to the lineup and went 1-for-3 with a walk before being replaced defensively in the ninth.
Despite a brief scare in the eighth, when the Guardians threatened with runners on base, Weaver managed to put out the fire, maintaining the Yankees’ lead. The game featured moments of intensity, with the crowd rallying behind their team as they celebrated a strong start to the series.
The Yankees’ pitching staff held firm, with Rodon setting the tone and Clay Holmes following up with a clean seventh inning, preserving the advantage established by the offense. The team hopes to carry the momentum into the next game as they seek to secure the AL pennant.