Aaron Judge snaps postseason slump, Yankees take 2-0 lead over Guardians in ALCS

If the saying is true that a series doesn’t start until the home team loses a game, then the Cleveland Guardians are still waiting for the American League Championship Series to begin.

The New York Yankees are two wins away from winning their first pennant since 2009 after their 6-3 victory over the Guardians in Game 2 of the ALCS on Tuesday night.

What was supposed to be a pitcher’s duel was anything but one. Reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole recorded just one out in the fifth inning, and Tanner Bibee was yanked in just the second inning. 

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New York jumped out to a 3-0 lead early, as Aaron Judge’s sky-high pop-up was dropped, leading to the first run of the game. In the second inning, Alex Verdugo recorded an RBI double, and then Judge hit a sac fly with the bases loaded (it was reliever Cade Smith’s first batter after Cleveland intentionally walked Juan Soto).

The Guardians did jump on Cole in the fifth, though, loading the bases and playing small ball with a sac fly and a fielder’s choice that drove in a run to make it a 3-2 game.

The Yankees had a chance for a big sixth inning, but both Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Anthony Rizzo were both thrown out on the bases. Instead, they scored just one run, after Rizzo doubled and Volpe scored on an error. 

However, Judge finally got the big October hit he desperately needed, sending a two-run home run to center field in the seventh to make it a 6-2 Yankees lead.

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (99) hits a two-run home run during the seventh inning against the Cleveland Guardians in game two of the ALCS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium.  (Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images)

Judge had been hitting .204 in his previous 49 postseason games entering Tuesday — in this October alone, he was 2-for-17 (.118), albeit with a .333 on-base percentage. His long-term October resume still isn’t great, but it’s certain that he needed something.

Four Yankees relievers combined for 4.2 innings of one-run ball, allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out three. Jose Ramirez’s solo home run in the ninth inning off Luke Weaver was the first earned run the Yankees bullpen allowed this October.

The series now moves to Cleveland, where Game 3 will be Thursday at 5:08 p.m. ET. Clarke Schmidt will start for the Yankees, while Cleveland’s starter hasn’t been named yet. 

Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees celebrates with Austin Wells #28 after hitting a two-run home run in the seventh inning against the Cleveland Guardians during Game Two of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium on October 15, 2024 in New York City.  (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

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Cleveland will have to win two of three at home to force the series back to the Bronx — and win four of the final five in order to advance to the World Series.

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