Yankees win ALCS Game 2 2024

NEW YORK — As the Yankees advanced into October, one hand-wringing concern was that if Aaron Judge remained unable to shake his playoff struggles, an offense that centered so heavily upon one of the finest regular seasons put forth by a right-handed hitter would be unable to make up the difference.

Through his club’s first five postseason games, Judge still hadn’t contributed much at the plate, but his supporting cast proved that it indeed could carry the load. Now, if the captain is on board, their path to the World Series looks even more clear.

Judge connected for a two-run homer in the seventh inning, breaking open the Yankees’ 6-3 victory over the Guardians in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday night. The win gives the Yankees a commanding 2-0 series lead as they aim to advance to their first Fall Classic since 2009.

The blast off right-hander Hunter Gaddis marked Judge’s first homer and second extra-base hit of this postseason, after he’d gone 2-for-15 (.133) with one RBI through New York’s first five games against the Royals and Guardians. Judge, the presumptive AL MVP, hit .322 while leading the Majors with 58 home runs and 144 RBIs during the regular season.

In all best-of-seven postseason series, teams taking a 2-0 lead have gone on to win the series 76 of 91 times (84%). The most recent of the 15 comebacks in those situations occurred in last year’s NLCS, when the D-backs rallied against the Phillies. Under the current 2-3-2 format, teams winning the first two games at home have gone on to take the series 44 of 55 times (80%).

In all best-of-seven postseason series, teams taking a 2-0 lead have gone on to win the series 76 of 91 times (84%). The most recent of the 15 comebacks in those situations occurred in last year’s NLCS, when the D-backs rallied against the Phillies. Under the current 2-3-2 format, teams winning the first two games at home have gone on to take the series 44 of 55 times (80%).

The homer provided breathing room for the Yankees, who outlasted sloppy baserunning that featured Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Anthony Rizzo both being picked off second base in the sixth inning. Neither club was particularly crisp; New York’s first run scored when Cleveland shortstop Brayan Rocchio dropped Judge’s sky-high pop-up in the first inning.

Alex Verdugo had a run-scoring double and Judge lifted a sacrifice fly as Tanner Bibee was chased after just 1 1/3 innings, supporting Gerrit Cole, who was not as crisp as in his ALDS Game 4 start at Kansas City. Cole survived a bases-loaded jam in the fourth before running out of steam in the fifth, when Cleveland touched him for a pair of runs.

But Rizzo — playing with two fractured fingers — picked up a clutch sixth-inning RBI double. As they have done all postseason, the Yankees’ bullpen performed admirably. Clay Holmes limited damage with two big outs in the fifth and Tim Hill followed with five outs of spotless relief, setting the stage for Judge to provide some insurance.