The Cleveland Guardians beat the New York Yankees 9-4 on Tuesday night in the Bronx, but the game was much closer than the scoreboard indicates. It included several ties and lead changes, and was 6-4 for Cleveland in the eighth when rookie second baseman Travis Bazzana broke it open with a bases-clearing double.
That was the hit that brought the Guardians closer to victory, and it gave Bazzana a shocking four RBI on the day. For a leadoff hitter, that’s very impressive.
Several members of the Guardians had the best night of their careers, or at least of their season, in the opener against the Yankees. Besides Bazzana, we can include Jose Ramirez on this list, as he hit three doubles with a run scored and two RBI.
“Final: Guardians 9, Yankees 4. Ramírez went 3-for-5 with a career-high-tying three doubles. Bazzana went 1-for-4 with a career-high four RBIs. Holderman, Herrin, Gaddis, Armstrong and Festa combine for five scoreless innings in relief of Cantillo,” Guardians insider Tim Stebbins said after the game.
Final: Guardians 9, Yankees 4
Ramírez went 3-for-5 with a career-high-tying three doubles. Bazzana went 1-for-4 with a career-high four RBIs.
Holderman, Herrin, Gaddis, Armstrong and Festa combine for five scoreless innings in relief of Cantillo.
— Tim Stebbins (@tim_stebbins) June 3, 2026
As he faces questions about a potential decline and a slow start, the incredible night gave Ramirez some confidence and a nice boost to his stats. He went from having a 106 wRC+ for the year to a 112 mark.
That’s still not quite productive as the hitter we are used to watching, but it was definitely a step in the right direction. A three-double night illustrates that his extra-base pop is still there.
As for Bazzana, the four RBI were also a career-best, as Stebbins points out. He has developed into one of the best second basemen in the league, and his wRC+ is now at 136.
He also showed his clutch gene. In that eighth inning, the Guardians had loaded the bases against Yankees reliever Camilo Doval. At that point, the right-hander got two outs, and it looked like he would get out of the inning unscathed. Bazzana, of course, had other plans, making him pay and putting the game out of reach.
The performance of the bullpen was also nothing short of amazing. Colin Holderman, Tim Herrin, and Hunter Gaddis had pitched a scoreless frame each, and Shawn Armstrong was ready to pitch the eighth and did it with aplomb, too. However, thanks to Bazzana’s three-run double, the Guardians were able to give Cade Smith a rest and use Matt Festa to close the game instead.
It was a true team effort, led by two incredibly talented offensive players: the struggling star trying to prove he still has it, and the up-and-coming rookie and future face of the franchise.
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