Yankees Win Opener Against Guardians

Today, for the 1st time ever, the Yankees traveled to Cleveland to play the Cleveland Guardians. OK, it's not really the 1st time: The franchise has been around since 1901, and has been known by other names. From 1915 to 2021, the name was the Cleveland Indians. This is the 1st time the Yankees have gone there to play them under the Guardians name.

They had previously played them in a 3-game series at home this season, and swept it. And they were supposed to play the Guardians last night, but it got rained out, forcing a doubleheader today.

Gerrit Cole started for the Yankees, and gave up back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the 2nd inning. But from there, he cruised through the 6th inning.

The Yankees came right back in the top of the 3rd. With 1 out, DJ LeMahieu hit a home run. Aaron Judge and Gleyber Torres drew walks. Giancarlo Stanton struck out, but the newly-called-up Miguel Andújar doubled Judge home. Aaron Hicks singled home Torres and Andújar. It was 4-2 New York.

The Yankees put the game away in the 6th. Hicks led off with a walk, and Matt Carpenter hit a home run. Two outs later, LeMahieu drew a walk, and Judge doubled. A pitching change was made, and it was useless: Torres singled the runners home.

The Yankees picked up 2 more runs in the 7th, 1 in the 8th, 2 in the 9th. So the last 5 innings looked like this: 04212. That's the ZIP Code for Auburn, Maine -- the hometown of George Mitchell, once the U.S. Senate Majority Leader, and also the Red Sox fan who wrote the Mitchell Report that accused several Yankees of cheating with performance-enhancing drugs in 2007, while not mentioning the guilt of several Red Sox.

Aroldis Chapman was activated from the Injured List, and Aaron Boone thought it would be a good idea to make his 1st time back not a save situation, but one with a big lead that, if he had a meltdown, he probably wouldn't blow. Good idea, because Chapman did have a meltdown: He pitched to 3 batters in the bottom of the 7th, and walked them all. With the new rule being that a relief pitcher, unless injured, must pitch to at least 3 batters, Boone pulled him for Ron Marinaccio, who induced 2 run-scoring groundouts and an inning-ending flyout.

Lucas Luetge loaded the bases in the 8th, but got out of it. Ryan Weber pitched a perfect 9th. Yankees 13, Guardians 4. WP: Cole (7-2). No save. LP: Kirkland McCarty (0-2).

So Chapman remains a worry. As does Joey Gallo: He and his .165 batting average were only a pinch-runner and then a defensive replacement in this game, not coming to bat. He will start the nightcap batting in the 7th slot. Oy vey.

The series continues at 6:00 PM today. Nestor Cortes starts against Aaron Civale.