The New York Yankees defeated the Cleveland Guardians in game 1 of the American League Championship Series by a score of 5-2 on Monday.
Game 2 will be played the next day on Tuesday, and the Guardians will be pressured to avoid heading back home with a 2-0 series deficit.
Guardians game 1 starting pitcher Alex Cobb left the game after throwing 2.2 innings with a lower back strain.
Radio host Tony Rizzo wants Guardians fans to relax after losing game 1 to the Yankees.
“Your pitcher didn’t pitch well, theirs did, you lost game 1, relax,” Rizzo said.
.@TheRealTRizzo wants everyone to relax after the Guardians lost game 1 of the ALCS…
How are you feeling about game 2? pic.twitter.com/NKxmeVTXaV
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) October 15, 2024
Rizzo appears to point out that the starting pitching was the deciding factor in game 1, which could have some truth to it.
Cobb pitched 2.2 innings and allowed 5 hits, 3 earned runs, and 3 walks while striking out 3.
Yankees starter Carlos Rodon pitched 6.0 innings and allowed 3 hits, 1 earned run, and 0 walks while striking out 9.
Even though Cobb left the game early with an injury, the Yankees seemed to be seeing the ball well off of him.
The Guardians will look to Tanner Bibee in game 2 to give them a quality start and keep them in the game against Yankees ace Gerrit Cole.
Bibee started 2 games against the Detroit Tigers in the American League Division Series and pitched 8.2 innings with a 2.08 earned run average with 9 strikeouts.
Yankees pitcher Cole has pitched well in the postseason, so Bibee will need to be sharp to give the Guardians a chance to take game 2.
Game 3 will take place on Thursday back in Cleveland where the Guardians will hope to play with a tied series.
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