CLEVELAND -- There were questions about whether the Yankees should start Gerrit Cole in Game 1 of their best-of-five games American League Division Series, but Aaron Boone went with the man to whom they gave a historic contract to pitch big games. It’s paid off twice. Cole fended off the scrappy Guardians Sunday night and kept the Bombers’ season alive with a 4-2 win at Progressive Field.
With the Yankees facing elimination, Cole gave the Yankees seven strong innings, holding the Guardians to two runs on six hits. He walked one and struck out eight. Harrison Bader hit a two-run home run, Clay Holmes, the center of controversy after the Yankees collapsed Saturday night, worked around a walk to pitch a clean eighth inning.
The Yankees head back to the Bronx for the decisive Game 5 after evening the best-of-five game series at 2-2 with Sunday night’s win. The Bombers plan to start Jameson Taillon at the Stadium for the do-or-go home game. The Yankees improved to 14-9 in potential elimination games in the ALDS and 6-6 in such games on the road.
