Yanks Came In Like a Lion, Went Out Like a Lamb

The Yankees opened a series away to the Cleveland Guardians last night. They got off to a great start, as Gleyber Torres doubled to lead off the game, Aaron Judge walked, Anthony Rizzo singled to load the bases with nobody out, and Giancarlo Stanton doubled 2 runs home.

But that was all the Yankees would get, all night long. They stranded men on 2nd & 3rd with 1 out that inning, a man on 2nd in the 2nd, a man on 2nd in the 6th, and Torres after a leadoff triple in the 8th. A very weak offensive effort: They came in like a lion, and went out like a lamb.

Of course, a good pitching effort could have made 2-0 stand up for 9 innings. The Yankees didn't get one. Starter Domingo Germán couldn't get his curveball working. He walked 5 batters, had allowed a run in the bottom of the 2nd, and had allowed the tying run in the top of the 4th, and had men on 1st and 2nd with nobody out in that inning, when manager Aaron Boone took him out.

Colton Brewer got out of that jam, and kept the Guardians off the board through the 6th. Boone brought Ian Hamilton in to pitch the 7th. Cliché Alert: Walks can kill you, especially the leadoff variety. Hamilton walked the 1st 2 batters he faced, which led to a sacrifice fly that put Cleveland on top.

That's how it ended: Guardians 3, Yankees 2. WP: Shane Bieber (1-1). SV: Emmanuel Clase (3). LP: Hamilton (0-1).

The series continues tonight. Gerrit Cole starts against Hunter Gaddis.