It was less a calculated Cleveland threat and more a series of events that weren’t breaking right for Max Fried.
After two quick first-inning outs, José Ramírez flared a broken-bat looper in front of third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. for an infield single.
Fried tried to select him off, but first baseman Ben Rice couldn’t handle the dart that moved Ramírez to second.
Ramírez more cleanly stole third, and Fried couldn’t finish off David Fry, who took first base when a full-count curveball from Fried went awry.
Fry stole second, and Fried engaged in a protracted, eight-pitch battle with Carlos Santana, the sport feeling — for a second straight start and for really only the second time this season — as if Fried might lack complete control.
But just like the lefty’s gorgeous curveball, which looks as if it slips out of his hand before it begins its plunge, the night abruptly reversed.
Arguably one of the best pitcher within the American League escaped that first-inning jam by inducing a pop-up from Santana, which essentially was the primary and only Guardians probability against Fried in a 4-0, series-clinching Yankees victory in front of 41,665 in The Bronx on Thursday.
The Yankees (38-23) have won eight of their past nine series and matched a high-water mark in reaching 15 games over .500.
After a snoozer of a shutout loss Wednesday, the Yankees bounced back.
And after Fried endured a rough day at Dodger Stadium on Friday, he, too, showed resilience.
The Yankees’ 2025 ace got through that 28-pitch first inning drained but not trailing.
The Guardians’ shot was over, Fried retiring 11 straight before walking Bo Naylor with one out within the fifth — after which forced Jhonkensy Noel to place the ball on the bottom for a double play.
Fried’s quick escape within the fifth allowed him to eat up another inning, throwing a clean sixth that finished along with his season-high 103rd pitch.
Fried’s excellence was supported by three RBIs from Cody Bellinger (including a two-run home run within the fourth) and quality escape work from Tim Hill.
In what was then a two-run game, Mark Leiter Jr. encountered trouble within the seventh, punctuated by a carbon copy of one in all the more horrific memories in recent Yankees memory: With runners on first and second, Gabriel Arias grounded into the shortstop hole, and Anthony Volpe fielded and swung to 3rd baseman Chisholm — and identical to within the fifth inning of Game 5 of the World Series, it didn’t work out.
This time Volpe threw to the skin of the bag, but Chisholm couldn’t hold on to a throw that was a bit wide.
That loaded the bases with one out and the tying run on second, but Hill entered and navigated across the danger.
Naylor struck out and Noel flew out on an evening the Guardians went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position.
The Yankees created much more probabilities and finished with 10 hits, though they didn’t reach base until Slade Cecconi’s forty second pitch — an Aaron Judge double down the right-field line within the fourth.
Cecconi’s forty third pitch became their second hit, Bellinger drilling his ninth homer (and seventh on the Stadium) into the right-field seats.
The Yankees tacked on within the seventh when singles from Bellinger and Chisholm (who’s 5-for-11 since being activated from the injured list) scored two more.
It was less a calculated Cleveland threat and more a series of events that weren’t breaking right for Max Fried.
After two quick first-inning outs, José Ramírez flared a broken-bat looper in front of third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. for an infield single.
Fried tried to select him off, but first baseman Ben Rice couldn’t handle the dart that moved Ramírez to second.
Ramírez more cleanly stole third, and Fried couldn’t finish off David Fry, who took first base when a full-count curveball from Fried went awry.
Fry stole second, and Fried engaged in a protracted, eight-pitch battle with Carlos Santana, the sport feeling — for a second straight start and for really only the second time this season — as if Fried might lack complete control.
But just like the lefty’s gorgeous curveball, which looks as if it slips out of his hand before it begins its plunge, the night abruptly reversed.
Arguably one of the best pitcher within the American League escaped that first-inning jam by inducing a pop-up from Santana, which essentially was the primary and only Guardians probability against Fried in a 4-0, series-clinching Yankees victory in front of 41,665 in The Bronx on Thursday.
The Yankees (38-23) have won eight of their past nine series and matched a high-water mark in reaching 15 games over .500.
After a snoozer of a shutout loss Wednesday, the Yankees bounced back.
And after Fried endured a rough day at Dodger Stadium on Friday, he, too, showed resilience.
The Yankees’ 2025 ace got through that 28-pitch first inning drained but not trailing.
The Guardians’ shot was over, Fried retiring 11 straight before walking Bo Naylor with one out within the fifth — after which forced Jhonkensy Noel to place the ball on the bottom for a double play.
Fried’s quick escape within the fifth allowed him to eat up another inning, throwing a clean sixth that finished along with his season-high 103rd pitch.
Fried’s excellence was supported by three RBIs from Cody Bellinger (including a two-run home run within the fourth) and quality escape work from Tim Hill.
In what was then a two-run game, Mark Leiter Jr. encountered trouble within the seventh, punctuated by a carbon copy of one in all the more horrific memories in recent Yankees memory: With runners on first and second, Gabriel Arias grounded into the shortstop hole, and Anthony Volpe fielded and swung to 3rd baseman Chisholm — and identical to within the fifth inning of Game 5 of the World Series, it didn’t work out.
This time Volpe threw to the skin of the bag, but Chisholm couldn’t hold on to a throw that was a bit wide.
That loaded the bases with one out and the tying run on second, but Hill entered and navigated across the danger.
Naylor struck out and Noel flew out on an evening the Guardians went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position.
The Yankees created much more probabilities and finished with 10 hits, though they didn’t reach base until Slade Cecconi’s forty second pitch — an Aaron Judge double down the right-field line within the fourth.
Cecconi’s forty third pitch became their second hit, Bellinger drilling his ninth homer (and seventh on the Stadium) into the right-field seats.
The Yankees tacked on within the seventh when singles from Bellinger and Chisholm (who’s 5-for-11 since being activated from the injured list) scored two more.
