Aaron Judge ends playoff slump, Yankees take 2-0 lead over Guardians in ALCS

If the saying that a series only begins when the home team loses a game is true, then the Cleveland Guardians are still waiting for the American League Championship Series to begin.

The New York Yankees are two wins away from winning their first pennant since 2009 after their 6-3 victory over the Guardians in Game 2 of the ALCS on Tuesday night.

What was supposed to be a pitching duel was anything but. Reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole recorded just one out in the fifth inning, and Tanner Bibee was removed in the second inning.

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Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the seventh inning against the Cleveland Guardians in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium on October 15 2024 in New York. (Luke Hales/Getty Images)

New York took an early 3-0 lead, as Aaron Judge's dizzying pop-up was dropped, leading into the game's first run. In the second inning, Alex Verdugo recorded an RBI double, then Judge hit a sac fly with the bases loaded (it was reliever Cade Smith's first batter after Cleveland intentionally walked Juan Soto).

The Guardians jumped on Cole in the fifth, however, loading the bases and playing small ball with a sac fly and a fielder's choice that produced a run to make it a 3-2 game.

The Yankees had a chance to win a big sixth inning, but Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Anthony Rizzo were both thrown out on base. Instead, they scored just one run, after Rizzo doubled and Volpe scored on an error.

However, Judge finally got the big October hit he desperately needed, blasting a two-run homer to center field in the seventh to give the Yankees a 6-2 lead.

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (99) hits a two-run home run during the seventh inning against the Cleveland Guardians in Game 2 of the ALCS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium. (Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images)

Judge had hit .204 in his previous 49 playoff games as of Tuesday — in October alone, he was 2-for-17 (.118), but with a .333 on-base percentage. His long-term resume in October still isn't great, but he sure needed something.

Four Yankees relievers combined for 4.2 innings of one-run ball, allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out three. Jose Ramirez's ninth-inning solo home run against Luke Weaver was the first earned run allowed by the Yankees bullpen in October.

The series now moves to Cleveland, where Game 3 will take place on Thursday at 5:08 p.m. ET. Clarke Schmidt will start for the Yankees, while Cleveland's starter has not yet been named.

Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees celebrates with Austin Wells #28 after hitting a two-run home run in the seventh inning against the Cleveland Guardians in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium on October 15, 2024 in New York. The city of York. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

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Cleveland will need to win two of three games at home to force the series back to the Bronx — and win four of the final five games to advance to the World Series.

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