CLEVELAND, OH - It took extra innings, but the Cleveland Guardians (10-5) took down the New York Yankees (12-4) by coming back twice to win 8-7 in ten innings. Guardians shortstop Andres Gimenez secured the win with a walk-off sacrifice fly in the tenth inning, his first walk-off hit since September 11th last season against the San Francisco Giants.
The Guardians first comeback came in the fifth inning to tie the game at four with a home run from Guardians shortstop Gabriel Arias and a RBI single from Josh Naylor. Guardians outfielder Estevan Florial crushed a pinch hit home run to right field in the eighth inning to give Cleveland a 5-4 lead.
With the lead in the top of the ninth and closer Emmanuel Clase in trying to secure the save for the Guardians, Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe lined a double over the outstretched glove of Guardians outfielder Will Brennan to tie the game and send it into extra innings.
In the top of the tenth, the Yankees were able to jump to a 7-5 lead off Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo's two RBI single with the bases loaded. Following a sacrifice bunt from shortstop Gleyber Torres, the Yankees were threatening with runners at second and third with outfielder Alex Verdugo coming to the plate.
On a quick heads up play, Guardians super-utility player David Fry fielded a ground ball at first base and quickly fired it home to catcher Bo Naylor to tag out Kevin Smith at the plate. Naylor made the tag and turned in a sweeping motion, firing the ball back to Fry to secure the double play and send it into the bottom of the tenth inning.
After a single from third baseman Jose Ramirez that advanced Bo Naylor, Guardians slugger Josh Naylor drove in his brother with an RBI put out. Fry followed that up with a double to set up Brennan to potentially tie the game.
Brennan came through for the Guardians with an infield ground ball to Torres, who tried and failed to throw out Josh Naylor at home plate. The run tied the game at seven, and Fry was able to advance to third on the throw to the plate, setting the stage for Gimenez's late game heroics.
FLORIAL-ISHING IN REVENGE
For Guardians power hitting outfielder Estevan Florial, this weekend's series against his former club was a special one for the former Yankee. His past three seasons with the Yankees were spent bouncing between the Bronx and the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.
He dealt a heavy dose of revenge back to his former club, hitting two home runs in seven plate appearances against them in the weekend series.
Since being traded to the Guardians, he has been able to change his approach at the plate, showcasing more patience with four walks in limited plate appearances so far this season. Florial, 26, has not recorded more than 61 plate appearances or played in more than 19 games in a season.
His home run was also the Guardians' first pinch hit home run in the 8th inning or later to give the team the lead since another former Yankee Jason Giambi's home run against the Chicago White Sox on September 24, 2013.
STARTER STRUGGLES
Guardians starting pitcher Logan Allen had a rough outing against the Yankees on Sunday, despite having his second longest outing of the 2024 campaign.
The southpaw threw 5.2 innings on Sunday, allowing four earned runs, six hits, and two walks, while striking out four Yankee hitters. Allen only had one inning with less than 15 pitches on Sunday. Allen, 25, has allowed three runs or more in three of his four starts so far this season.
The Guardians will have some starting pitching help on the way with Xzavion Curry and Ben Lively set to join the rotation on the road in Boston, both to be on pitch limits coming off the injured list.
WHAT'S NEXT
The Cleveland Guardians will travel to Boston to take on the Red Sox in the historic Boston Marathon game. Right handed starter Xzavion Curry will make his season debut against the Red Sox at 11:10 AM at Fenway Park.
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