Yankees 8-2 Guardians (April 13, 2024) Game Recap

CLEVELAND – Juan Soto hit a three-run home run and Cody Poteet pitched six solid innings in his debut for New York as the Yankees won 8-2 on Saturday, sweeping a doubleheader over the Cleveland Guardians and one of their strongest starts of the season continued their storied history.

New York won the opener 3-2.

The Yankees are 12-3 for the seventh time and first since 2003, when they made one of their 40 trips to the World Series. They are 8-1 on the road and have won their first five series for only the third time (1923 and 2010).

New York's lineup is strong from top to bottom.

“It was impressive,” Aaron Judge said of the Yankees’ early offense. “We do a great job of wearing down the starting pitching, and when you do that, it kind of forces teams to go to their bullpen and pitch in certain situations.”

Soto, acquired by the club from San Diego in an offseason trade to put New York back on top, scored in the fourth game against Triston McKenzie (1-2), who had struggled from the start, and in four Scored six goals in the innings.

Poteet (1-0) allowed one run and six hits to earn his first win since 2021 – 1,056 days ago – with Miami. The 29-year-old was out of the majors last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2022.

After Poteet was recalled from the minors as the 27th man for the doubleheader, he admitted to having some nerves before the game.

He didn't show them.

“Super meaningful, priceless and amazing,” he said afterwards. “Something I would have dreamed of as a kid playing whiffle ball in the backyard. Just being back there on a Major League field is a privilege, not a guarantee, so I’m very grateful to be out there tonight.”

Poteet signed with New York in January to add pitching depth after the Yankees traded some of it to Soto as part of the deal.

“We all felt when we got him over the offseason that he was going to be a guy that could play a role for us,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “And he sure looked like it tonight.”

One of the few bright spots for Cleveland was Estevan Florial, who hit a home run in the fifth inning of Game 2. Florial was once considered New York's top prospect before the club sold him to the Guardians in December.

Josh Naylor also hit a home run for the Guardians, who are 1-9 in their last five doubleheaders.

With Anthony Volpe's RBI single already trailing 3-0, McKenzie hit a 3-0 fastball that Soto hammered over the wall in center for New York's third home run.

Soto is only 25 years old and has now scored goals in all 30 current MLB stadiums.

“He’s a great, great player,” Boone said, noting his impressive home run statistics. “That’s not surprising.”

In the opener, the Yankees hit a two-run home run from Oswaldo Cabrera and survived a shaky ninth inning from closer Clay Holmes to improve to 5-0 in one-run games.

New York starter Clarke Schmidt (1-0) allowed one run over five-plus innings before Boone turned to his solid bullpen.

Caleb Ferguson pitched one inning, Ian Hamilton two and Boone brought in Holmes, who gave up a double to Ramon Laureano – a hit into a strong wind off Lake Erie.

“April in Cleveland helped us a little bit out there,” Boone said with a smile.

Holmes shook off the hit by recording two strikeouts and picking up a groundout for his sixth save.

“It was a good win to hold on to,” Holmes said.

Cleveland starter Carlos Carrasco (0-1) held the Yankees to one run in 4 2/3 innings in Game 1.

It was Carrasco's first start in Cleveland since 2020, appearing in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series against New York. Two months later, he was traded to the Mets as part of the blockbuster deal with Francisco Lindor.

TRAINER ROOM

Yankees: 3B DJ LeMahieu (broken foot) is doing “really well,” according to Boone, and is close to rejoining the club. LeMahieu must play a few minor league games before being activated. … INF Jon Berti (groin) was placed on the 10-day IL between games. He injured himself trying to hit an infield single earlier in the week.

Guardians: RHP Gavin Williams (elbow soreness) will pitch a simulated two-inning game at Arizona on Monday. Williams injured himself while throwing a weighted ball in spring training before the March 9 start. The team initially assumed he would only be out for a week.

NEXT

Yankees LHP Nestor Cortes (1-1, 3.50 ERA) starts the series finale against LHP Logan Allen (2-0, 4.60). Cortes threw eight scoreless innings in his final game against Miami.

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AP MLB: