On Tuesday night, the New York Yankees faced off against the Cleveland Guardians in a thrilling game that felt like a playoff matchup, with both teams having the best records in the American League. The game stretched to 12 innings, with the Yankees’ bullpen pitching eight scoreless innings before finally falling apart in the 12th inning when Cleveland scored six runs to win 9-5. Despite the strong pitching performance, the Yankees will regret their baserunning and fielding miscues, as well as their lack of timely hitting, especially as Cleveland regained the top spot in the AL.
In the 12th inning, Tim Mayza faltered, allowing a go-ahead RBI pinch-hit double to Lane Thomas, followed by a run-scoring hit off Michael Tonkin by Jose Ramirez as Cleveland began to pour on the runs. The Yankees offense missed multiple opportunities throughout the game, going hitless in 13 at-bats with runners in scoring position until Aaron Judge’s two-run double in the 12th inning. One crucial mistake came in the eighth inning when Trent Grisham was thrown out at home on a pinch-hit double by Austin Wells that could have given the Yankees the lead.
The Yankees’ bullpen thrived for much of the night, especially with Luis Gil leaving the game in the fourth inning due to lower back tightness. Before his exit, Gil struggled with his pitching, allowing three runs in three-plus innings, largely due to six walks. He was replaced in the fourth inning after giving up a go-ahead home run to Brayan Rocchio, with Tim Hill and others in the bullpen stepping up to keep the game close. Despite the strong relief pitching, the Yankees were unable to capitalize on their early lead as they failed to score in multiple key situations against Cleveland.
In the early innings, it looked like the Yankees might dominate Cleveland left-hander Matthew Boyd, with Juan Soto and Aaron Judge hitting back-to-back home runs in the first inning to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead. However, Cleveland quickly answered back, scoring runs in the second and third innings to tie the game. Both teams continued to trade blows, with the Yankees tying the game again in the fourth inning on an Anthony Volpe RBI double that brought in a run.
The game remained tied as both bullpens matched zeroes through the sixth inning. The contest continued to provide tense moments, including a potential extra-base hit by Oswaldo Cabrera in the seventh inning that was robbed by a diving play in the outfield by Cleveland. Ultimately, the game would come down to the wire, with Cleveland’s offense breaking through against the Yankees’ bullpen in the 12th inning and securing a hard-fought victory. While the Yankees displayed strong pitching performances, their missed opportunities and defensive mistakes cost them the game, allowing Cleveland to take the lead in the American League standings.
