Gerrit Cole did his part. In Game 4 of the American League Division Series, the Yankees’ ace pitched seven innings and allowed only two games to beat the Cleveland Guardians 4-2 and forced a winner pass in Game 5 on Monday night. eat. The winner will face the Houston Astros in the ALCS.
The characters who hold up the Yankees in this series are familiar ones. Both of the Yankees’ wins in this series went to Cole. Harrison Bader brought the offense again for New York, hitting a two-run homer for his third of the series. The Yankees scored early on Cal Quantrill, and Cole took it from there. He allowed a run in both the third and fourth, but otherwise avoided trouble and gave manager Aaron Boone a much-needed thin bullpen length.
Boone turned to Clay Holmes and didn’t score after the Yankees refused to use him in the ninth-inning collapse of Game 3. Vandi Peralta ended the victory.
Cleveland’s top six hitters hit at least one hit, but only Josh Naylor’s fourth-inning homer was in the extra base variety. If nothing else, it was an unforgettable trip to the base. Naylor first “rocked the baby” during the celebration.
Now tied for two teams, the series will quickly return to the Bronx on Monday for a decisive Game 5. Both teams will basically use bullpen play. Yankees starter Nestor Cortez Jr. — whose second game was delayed by rain — may be available for multiple innings. If Cleveland uses a starter in multiple innings, it’s likely to be Aaron Civale.
The postponement of Game 2 puts the Yankees’ injury-riddled bullpen in a tough matchup against Cleveland and Terry Francona’s heavily armed relief team. The risk played out Saturday night when Guards playoff hero Oscar Gonzalez ended with an off-field single in the ninth inning against the Intermediate Yankees relievers.
Monday’s Game 5 is scheduled for 7:07pm ET on TBS.
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