Guardians even series as ALDS heads back to Cleveland

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It took an extra day because of rain - and extra innings – but the Cleveland Guardians evened the ALDS at one game apiece on Friday afternoon in another postseason thriller.

The Yankees jumped out to an early lead when Giancarlo Stanton hit a two-run home run off Cleveland ace Shane Bieber in the bottom of the first inning. The Guardians would claw back, scoring a run in the fourth off a bases loaded single by Andrés Giménez, and tying the game on a fifth-inning home run by Amed Rosario. Bieber settled in and was solid before turning things over to the bullpen, which continues to be dominant this postseason.

In extra innings, José Ramírez did what he has done so often this season, lining a double into left field and advancing to third on a throwing error by Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson. Ramírez led the AL in doubles this season and has been the Guardians’ best bat so far this postseason. Oscar Gonzalez, who hit the walk-off home run to end the wild-card series, drove Ramírez in for the go-ahead run. Josh Naylor plated Gonzalez as an insurance run, and closer Emmanuel Clase finished the game, earning the win after coming in with two outs in the eighth.

Here are a couple observations from the game, and a look ahead as the series shifts to Cleveland.

Dominant Pitching, Defense and Stringing Hits Together Won Game 2

The Guardians have struggled to string hits together this postseason. Maybe it is the higher level of pitching. Maybe it is the pressure of the postseason getting to the youngest team in the majors. Whatever the reason, they finally played their brand of baseball on Friday, and it worked when they needed it to the most. They scratched out seven hits and added five walks. Unlike in each of the prior games this postseason, they manufactured runs by stringing hits together and keeping pressure on the Yankees’ defense.

Cleveland has struggled all season against left-handed pitching, and on Friday they faced one of the best in the game in Nestor Cortes. In a high-pressure situation, in one of the toughest stadiums for visiting teams to play in, they kept the ball in play, and generated nine baserunners before chasing Cortes after five innings.

Beyond the offense, this was a classic 2022 Guardians game. Bieber pitched well before the bullpen dominated, including Trevor Stephan striking out the side in the bottom of the seventh, and Clase bailing them out of a jam to end the eighth before throwing two more full innings to get the win. And let’s not forget Cleveland’s defense, which played a nearly perfect game.

The Guardians have to be encouraged as they now head home, where they have played much better than on the road all season.

McKenzie Looks for Redemption in Game 3

For Game 3, Cleveland will start Triston McKenzie, who went 11-11 with a 2.96 ERA in the regular season before dominating for six innings in the deciding game 2 of the AL wild-card series. McKenzie beat the Yankees on July 3 in Cleveland, throwing seven innings of one-hit ball and striking out seven. However, most fans will probably remember his abbreviated start against them in the 2020 AL wild-card series where he lasted just 1 2/3 innings. McKenzie is a far different pitcher now and will be looking for some postseason redemption, just as Shane Bieber did in Game 2.

The Yankees will counter with Luis Severino, who went 7-3 with a 3.18 ERA in just 19 starts. He missed a major portion of the season with a right latissimus dorsi strain in July. He returned to make three starts to ramp up for the postseason. His ability to go deep into the game and keep the ball away from the Yankees middle relievers could be a key factor in Game 3.

Will the Midges Factor Into Game 3?

The midges are indeed back. You may remember Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain being swarmed by the insects during Game 2 of the ALDS in 2007. Despite copious amounts of bug spray during a mound visit, Chamberlain could not adjust and threw two wild pitches that led to Cleveland tying that game in the eighth inning before winning it in extra innings.

Well, last Sunday, the midges invaded FirstEnergy Stadium, swarming players from the Browns and Chargers during warmups. Midges hatch along the shores of Lake Erie twice per year – in the spring and in the fall. While they have a lifespan of only a few days, they play a vital role in the ecosystem of Lake Erie. If they are still around this weekend, it would make for quite a story to see a Yankees reliever have to deal with them again.

Will the midges factor into the game on Saturday? We can only hope!

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Dominant Pitching, Defense and Stringing Hits Together Won Game 2

McKenzie Looks for Redemption in Game 3

Will the Midges Factor Into Game 3?

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