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The New York Yankees beat the Cleveland Guardians in Game 5 of the ALDS by a score of 5-1 to move on to the ALCS.
There’s no quit in the @Yankees. They’re moving on to the ALCS! #CLINCHED #postseason pic.twitter.com/FFyQXgmmir
— MLB (@MLB) October 18, 2022
New York Sets the Tone Early
The stakes of this game were massive. It’s the MLB playoffs, win or go home. Both teams were division winners this year. Their seasons, which have included over 162 games, could have been over by the outcome of this one game.
To add to the suspense, this game was already postponed once. It was supposed to be played Monday night, but rain caused it to be pushed back until Tuesday afternoon.
Despite the rainout and the midday game, the Yankees faithful showed up and brought the energy. They erupted early when Yankee designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton left the yard in the first. Blasting a three-run bomb to set the Bronx on fire.
Stan by me. pic.twitter.com/rIm8yhgCZY
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 18, 2022
Pitching Matchup
If Game 5 were played on Monday, the Yankees would have thrown Jameson Taillon. The rain delay allowed the Yankees to start Nestor Cortes for this game. He was the Game 2 starter for New York, and it elected to use him on three days rest instead of going with Taillon.
Cleveland did not follow suit. It decided not to start its ace Shane Bieber, who started Game 2 against Cortes. Bieber was also on three days rest but already pitched twice so far in the playoffs. It chose to start its fourth starter Aaron Civale and trust its bullpen to eat innings in this game. Allowing Bieber to start Game 1 of the ALCS if it were to move on.
This decision proved not wise as Civale only recorded one out and let up the three-run homer to Stanton. He was pulled immediately after.
On the other side, Cortes was dealing for the Yankees. Looking locked in with the home crowd behind him. He went five innings allowing three hits and one earned run.
Cortes stumbled into trouble in the third. He had bases loaded with one out but worked out of the jam allowing his only run on a sacrifice-fly. He found himself in trouble once again in the fifth with runners on second and third with one out. Managing to escape unscathed by getting a lineout and a strikeout in the next two batters.
Cortes was Houdini for New York when it needed him to be. Posting a great start for New York and getting support from the Yankees offense.
The Bats Got It Done for the Yankees
Cleveland’s offense sputtered Tuesday night, only knocking in the one run from a sac-fly by second baseman Jose Ramirez. It had more hits than the Yankees and had chances to get back in the game. The Guardians have been great at manufacturing runs this series and being scrappy. This game, they weren’t able to keep the line moving. Yankees pitchers were able to mitigate any damage or rally that they produced.
For the Yankees, the long ball was the key to victory. They had the Stanton home run in the first that gave them three runs via one swing of the bat.
On top of the Stanton blast, Yankee outfielder Aaron Judge went deep in the second with a solo shot.
Been doing it all year. #ALLRISE pic.twitter.com/hxiEW3jjae
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 18, 2022
This improved New York’s lead to four runs.
Cleveland finally got on the board in the third with the Ramirez sac-fly. Then in the fifth, Yankee First Baseman Anthony Rizzo drove in the Yankees’ fifth run with an RBI single. This put an end to the scoring for the game and the Guardians’ season as they couldn’t get anything working against the New York bullpen. The night finished with a score of 5-1 and a Yankees celebration.
New York now moves on to the ALCS to face the Houston Astros.
This is third time the Yankees have met the Astros in the championship round since 2018. The Astros have moved on to the World Series in both of the previous two matchups.
The Yankees will look to finally get revenge with the series starting Wednesday in Houston. First pitch of Game 1 will be at 7:37 p.m.
