NEW YORK YANKEES
With tonight’s victory, the Yankees take a 1-0 lead in the 2024 American League Championship Series and improve to 4-1 overall this Postseason…Improve to 12-7 all-time in Game 1 of the ALCS and are 7-4 when hosting Game 1 of the ALCS (2-1 at the new Yankee Stadium). • Teams to win Game 1 of the ALCS have gone on to win 23 of 38 series (60.5%) since the series shifted to a best-of-seven format in 1985. • Yankees did not record a hit between Juan Soto’s solo HR in the 3rd inning and Giancarlo Stanton’s solo HR in the 7th inning, but scored three runs in that span. • In a 10-batter span following Soto’s homer, the Yankees had six batters reach base on walks, with two runs scoring on wild pitches and one run scoring on an Aaron Judge sacrifice fly.
CARLOS RODÓN: Earned first career Postseason win after recording his first career Postseason quality start…Worked 6.0 innings, allowing one earned run on three hits with no
walks and nine strikeouts…Totaled 25 swings and misses, which are the most by a Yankees pitcher in a Postseason game in the pitch tracking era (since 2008) (credit: Sarah Langs). • The nine strikeouts are the most by a Yankees pitcher in a Postseason game since Gerrit Cole (9 SO) in Game 5 of 2020 ALDS at Tampa Bay… • Third pitcher in Yankees history with 9+ SO and zero walks in a Postseason home game, joining Roger Clemens (2000 World Series Game 2 vs. Mets) and Hiroki Kuroda (2012 ALCS Game 2 vs. Tigers). • Made fourth career Postseason start and second of 2024…First career start in a League Championship Series.
GIANCARLO STANTON: Recorded his 13th career Postseason home run with a solo shot in the 7th inning to give New York a 5-1 lead…With a 114.3 MPH exit velocity, it was the
second-hardest hit HR of the 2024 Postseason, behind a 116.5 MPH homer by Shohei Ohtani in the NLDS vs. San Diego. • It was his second homer of the 2024 Postseason and second career HR in LCS play (previous: 2019 ALCS Game 1 at Houston). • His 13 Postseason homers tie Aaron Judge for fifth-most in Yankees history and broke a tie with Reggie Jackson and Yogi Berra.
LUKE WEAVER: Pitched 1.2 scoreless frames to earn his fourth save of the Postseason…Becomes first Yankees pitcher with four saves in a single Postseason since Mariano Rivera
had five saves in the 2009 Postseason.
GLEYBER TORRES: Led off the bottom of the 1st inning with a single to CF…Has reached base safely in each of his last eight Postseason games (including all five Yankees games this year), dating back to Game 2 of the 2022 ALCS at Houston. • Has reached safely in the Yankees first plate appearance of the game in four of New York’s five Postseason contests in 2024.
ANTHONY RIZZO: Singled in his first at-bat of the night in the 2nd inning…Tonight marked his first game played since Sept. 28 vs. Pittsburgh (was not on Yankees ALDS roster vs. Kansas City).
JUAN SOTO: Opened the scoring with a solo home run to CF in the 3rd inning…The homer was his eighth career Postseason HR, his first in an LCS game and first in a Yankees uniform.
RUNNING WILD: In the bottom of the 3rd inning, the Yankees scored two runs on a pair of wild pitches by Guardians reliever Joey Cantillo.
- Became second team all-time to score runs on two different wild pitches in one inning of a Postseason game, joining the 2002 Twins (scored on wild pitches by Oakland’s
Tim Hudson and Ted Lilly in the 4th inning of Game 4 of the 2002 ALDS. • Yankees are the first team to score runs on two different wild pitches by the same pitcher in a Postseason inning (ELIAS).
CLEVELAND GUARDIANS
Guardians fall to 0-1 to begin the 2024 ALCS and are 3-3 overall in the 2024 Postseason…Are now 1-5 all-time in Game 1 of the ALCS, including an 0-5 record when playing Game 1 on the road.
ALEX COBB: Charged with the loss after being charged with three earned runs on five hits with three walks and three strikeouts across 2.2 innings pitched. • Held New York scoreless through first two frames, before allowing a solo HR to Juan Soto to begin the 3rd inning…Exited the game with Guardians trailing 1-0 with two outs in the 3rd, after loading the bases on walks…Two of the three bequeathed runners would ultimately score. • Made fourth career Postseason start and second of 2024…First career start in a League Championship Series.
STEVEN KWAN: RBI single in the 8th inning cut the Yankees lead to 5-2…The hit extended his Postseason hit streak to 11 games, dating back to Game 1 of the 2022 ALDS. • The streak establishes a new Cleveland franchise record for the Postseason, breaking a tie with Kenny Lofton (1995 ALDS Game 3 – 1995 World Series Game 3). • Across his six games this Postseason, is batting .480 (12/25) and his 12 hits lead all American League players in the 2024 Postseason and are second-most in the Majors, behind Mark Vientos (14 hits for Mets).
BRAYAN ROCCHIO: Recorded his first career Postseason home run on a solo shot to left field in the 6th inning…Including the regular season, eight of his nine career home runs have come in road games, with Yankee Stadium becoming the first ballpark he has homered in multiple times (he hit a solo HR off Luis Gil earlier this season on Aug. 20).
JHONKENSY NOEL: Had a 2nd inning single in his first plate appearance of the game, marking his first career Postseason hit (went 0-for-13 in the ALDS vs. Detroit).
NAYLOR BROTHERS: Bo and Josh Naylor became the first pair of brothers to appear in the same LCS game since Aaron Nola (PHI) and Austin Nola (SD) in Game 2 of the 2022 NLCS…They are the first brothers to appear in the same LCS game as teammates since Bengie and José Molina for the Angels in Game 2 of the 2005 ALCS at Chicago (A.L.).
JOEY CANTILLO: Retired just one of four batters faced, allowing one earned run, three walks and four wild pitches…Two of three inherited runners scored on wild pitches. • The four wild pitches matched a Cleveland franchise record for any regular season or Postseason game all-time and are the most ever in a game by a Cleveland reliever…
Last Cleveland pitcher with four WP in a game was Jake Westbrook on April 5, 2010 at White Sox.
- Only other pitcher with 4+ wild pitches in a Postseason game was Rick Ankiel (5 WP) for St. Louis in Game 1 of the 2000 NLDS vs. Atlanta.
ALCS GAME 1
Tonight kicked off the 55th American League Championship Series since divisional play began in 1969, and the 39th year of the best-of-seven format for the Championship Series. • With a first pitch temperature of 50°, tonight was the coldest LCS game since a 45° start to Game 1 of the 2019 NLCS (Nationals @ Cardinals)…Tonight was the first ALCS game at 50°(or cooler) since a 50° start to Game 1 of the 2018 ALCS (Astros @ Red Sox). • Each of the first six hits in tonight’s game were singles, before Juan Soto opened the scoring with a solo home run in the 3rd inning.
