NEW YORK โJuan Sotoย homered during New Yorkโs three-run third inning,ย Carlos Rodรณnย got his first postseason win and theย Yankeesย took advantage ofย Clevelandโsย wildness in aย 5-2 victoryย on Monday night in Game 1 of the AL Championship Series.
Cleveland became the second team to throw a pair of run-scoring wild pitches in a postseason inning and tied a postseason record with five overall. Guardians pitchers walked six in a nine-batter span and nine overall.
Giancarlo Stantonย added his 13th career postseason homer for the Yankees, who are seeking a record 41st AL pennant. New York batters have walked 36 times in five postseason games.
Rodรณn rebounded from the Yankeesโ only loss in the Division Series, limiting the Guardians to a pair of singles before Brayan Rocchioโs sixth-inning homer.
Steven Kwanย pulled the Guardians within three runs when he extended his postseason hitting streak to a team-record 11 games with an RBI single in the eighth offย Clay Holmes.
Luke Weaverย entered with runners at the corners. He struck out pinch-hitterย Will Brennanย and retired Josรฉ Ramรญrez on a groundout, and then followed a leadoff walk in the ninth with three straight strikeouts for his fourth save this postseason.
Game 2 is at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday night. Entering this year, teams taking the opener of a series with a 2-3-2 format have won 66 of 99 times.
Before a sellout crowd of 47,264 that included pop starย Taylor Swift, Soto hit his first postseason homer for New York when he drove a high slider fromย Alex Cobbย into the Yankeesโ bullpen in right-center.
Making his first playoff appearance in 11 years, Cobb walked the bases loaded in the third and rookie relieverย Joey Cantilloย threw a pair of run-scoring wild pitches.
Cantillo had four wild pitches overall, one shy of the record for a postseason game set by Rick Ankiel of St. Louis in a 2000 NL Division Series opener against Atlanta. The only other time a team scored twice on wild pitches in a postseason inning was by Minnesota against Oakland in the 2002 AL Division Series.
Rodรณn struck out nine and walked none, getting 25 misses among 53 swings, matching the fourth-most misses in a postseason game since pitch-tracking began in 2008. His pitches broke so much that catcherย Austin Wellsย had to throw to first three times on strikeouts for the putouts.
Cobb dropped in 0-2 in the playoffs, making just his fifth start in a season limited by injuries. He threw 36 of 65 pitches for strikes, getting only one swing and miss, and allowed three runs, five hits and three walks in 2 2/3 innings.
One of the nationโs most prominent and influential couples shared the spotlight with baseballโs postseason Monday night as the New York Yankees opened the American League Championship Series at home.
More recently,ย Swift was back at Arrowhead Stadiumย on Oct. 7 to support the Chiefs as they defeated the New Orleans Saints, 26-13, at home. Kelce posted 70 yards receiving.
Late last year, the Eras Tour became the highest-grossing tour in history, surpassing $1 billion, according to theย concert industry publication Pollstar.
