This was more like what the Yankees expected in 2022 — both from Gerrit Cole and their offense.
For the first time this season, Cole looked like the pitcher the Yankees are paying him to be and his offense provided plenty of support in return as the Yankees beat the Guardians 10-2 to secure the three-game sweep Sunday afternoon in The Bronx.
Cole received a standing ovation as he walked off the mound after throwing 6 ²/₃ scoreless innings and Anthony Rizzo, DJ LeMahieu and even Tim Locastro each belted two-run homers in a rare chance to exhale for the Yankees (10-6).
Before Sunday, 13 of their first 15 games had been decided by three runs or fewer — the most in the majors. Their biggest win of the season had been only 4-0 over the Blue Jays. But on Sunday, the Guardians (7-8) served as fodder for a team in need of a laugher.
“Breathing is a good thing,” said Cole, who struck out nine and scattered four singles and a walk. “Everybody can breathe today, right? We had an opportunity to finish the sweep earlier [against the Red Sox and Tigers], we couldn’t really push it through. It’s just a nice day to finish it off. Everybody came in and took a deep breath.”
The Yankees’ 10 runs and 13 hits both marked season highs, with LeMahieu’s three-hit day leading the way. Coming into the game, the Yankees averaged just 3.2 runs per game but said they gained confidence from Saturday’s comeback win, and it showed Sunday.
“I just feel like we were ourselves today,” LeMahieu said after extending his hitting streak to 11 games. “That’s kind of what we expect. It’s not always going to happen like that, but we were due for a breakout game like that.”
They started early, with Aaron Judge drilling a one-out double in the first inning and Rizzo following with his fifth home run of the season to put the Yankees up 2-0. It was only the third time this year the Bombers have scored in the first inning.
When Cole got Oscar Mercado to pop out in foul territory to end the second inning, it marked the first time this season that he had gotten through two scoreless frames to begin a game. He had lasted just 1 ²/₃ innings in his last start Tuesday in Detroit and overall had given up eight runs over 11 ¹/₃ innings through his first three starts.
A misplay by Mercado in the second inning allowed the Yankees to add to their lead. The Guardians right fielder overran a line drive by LeMahieu and it hit off his glove, allowing Isiah Kiner-Falefa to score from first to make it 3-0.
The Yankees piled on with three more runs in the third, in part thanks to another Guardians defensive miscue. With the bases loaded and no outs, Aaron Hicks skied a pop-up to shallow center field that Myles Straw and second baseman Andres Gimenez let fall in between them. Straw was able to get the force out at second base, but Rizzo scored from third.
Joey Gallo then came through with his long-awaited first extra-base hit and RBI of the season — in his 53rd plate appearance — when he ripped a double to right field to make it 5-0. The scuffling Gallo had been 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position to start the year.
Kiner-Falefa capped the rally with a sacrifice fly, pushing the Yankees’ lead to 6-0.
LeMahieu added a two-run shot in the sixth inning and Locastro delivered his homer in the eighth while pinch-hitting for Judge.
The Guardians’ only runs came in the ninth inning off Ron Marinaccio, who was pitching for the first time in 13 days.
“I feel like we’ve been playing pretty good baseball overall from a pitching, baserunning, defensive standpoint,” manager Aaron Boone said. “Feel like the offense is starting to click a little bit. … But to have back-to-back games where I really feel like they were complete games from a defensive, pitching, running the bases and offensive [standpoint], that’s nice.”
Gerrit Cole returns to ace form as Yankees crush Guardians to finish sweep - New York Post
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