NEW YORK (AP) — The Yankees entered the playoffs with the script they conceived last winter: Gerrit Cole blowing smoke and the Bronx Bombers dishing out sticks.
Harrison Bader and Anthony Rizzo homered, Cole dominated for most of the night and New York beat the Cleveland Guardians 4-1 Tuesday night in Game 1 of the American League Division Series.
Even a Josh Donaldson gaffe on the bases couldn’t stop the Yankees, who have won six straight in the postseason against Cleveland. The streak dates back to the 2017 division series, in which they overturned a 2-0 deficit.
After rookie Steven Kwan led the Guardians with a third-inning home run, Bader prevented a run by controlling Jose Ramirez’s drive in the gap between left-center field. With this, he forced Amed Rosario, also a Quisqueyan, to apply the brakes in the antechamber.
Cole survived a bases-loaded quagmire later by striking out Andres Gimenez.
“That could have been the key turn of the game,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone acknowledged.
Cole allowed only two additional baserunners to reach base, with a single and his only walk. He was relieved after giving up one run on four hits in 6 1/3 innings with eight strikeouts.
“We did a really good job early on when we upped his pitch count,” Cleveland manager Terry Francona said. “And then we had a really quick fourth inning, which got him back in the game.”
Cole was credited with the victory, while Nicaraguan Jonathan Loáisiga, Dominican Wandy Peralta and Clay Holmes completed the two-hit relief.
Cleveland, coming off a two-game sweep of Tampa Bay in the wild-card series, struck out nine times after being the fewest in the major leagues during the regular season.
Meanwhile, the Yankees returned to activity after a five-day layoff, and started the playoffs just the way they wanted.
Except for Donaldson’s fumble in the fifth inning. In his first season with New York and with the score tied 1-1, the former AL MVP opened the episode with a drive that hit the crest of the 10-foot fence in right field just in front of the hands of a fanatic.
The ball bounced back to the ground.
Donaldson broke into a jog, thinking he had hit a home run. He even took the time to exchange a pat with first-class coach Travis Chapman.
Óscar González picked up the ball and threw to shortstop Rosario, who was on second. Donaldson was between first and second, so Rosario took a few steps and threw to first baseman Josh Naylor.
Donaldson tried to slide back at first and was thrown out.
For the Guardians, the Dominicans Rosario 3-0, Ramírez 3-2, González 4-0. The Venezuelan Andrés Giménez 4-1.
For the Yankees, the Venezuelans Gleyber Torres 3-0, Oswaldo Cabrera 3-0.
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Cole shines and Yankees open series beating Guardians