Hey, Don't Look Now, But...

In the short term, the Yankees' biggest concern going into their series finale yesterday with the Cleveland Guardians was that their fans behaved themselves, the way they did not at the end of the Saturday afternoon game. There were some taunts in during the game, but no throwing objects out on the field this time. So, mission accomplished.

In the long run, the big concern was the pitching of supposed ace Gerrit Cole. He had his best game this season so far, getting into the 7th inning without allowing a run, 4 hits, only 1 walk, and 9 strikeouts.

Anthony Rizzo opened the scoring with a 2-run home run in the bottom of the 1st inning. A DJ LeMahieu double brought home a run in the 2nd, and the Yankees picked up runs in the 3rd on a double by Joey Gallo and sacrifice flies by Aaron Hicks and Isiah Kiner-Falefa.

LeMahieu added a 2-run homer in the 6th, and Tim LoCastro another in the 8th. Just when you think this game is going to be a blowout and a shutout, Ron Marinaccio got sent out to pitch the top of the 9th, and he allowed 2 runs. The last out was nearly a home run, and who knows what would have happened if it had been one. But it wasn't.

Yankees 10, Guardians 2. WP: Cole (1-0). No save. LP: Aaron Civale (0-2).

Hey, don't look now, but after their .500 start, the Yankees have won 5 of their last 6, and are 10-6, tied with those pesky Toronto Blue Jays for 1st place in the American League Eastern Division, and both are tied with the Seattle Mariners for the best record in the AL. The Tampa Bay Rays are 1 game back, the Boston Red Sox 3, and the Baltimore Orioles 4.

The Yankees have today off. Then the Orioles come into Yankee Stadium II for 3 games, including a getaway day matinee on Thursday. Then the Yankees go on the road, for 3 games in Kansas City and 3 in Toronto.