CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Guardians head back to Cleveland in an 0-2 hole in the 2024 ALCS after losing Game 2 to the Yankees on Tuesday night, 6-3, in New York.
Guardians starting pitcher Tanner Bibee failed to get out of the second inning, allowing three runs, two earned, and five hits before being pulled after retiring just four batters. The Guardians also had their own defensive woes as Brayan Rocchio and Will Brennan each committed an error that led to a run for the Yankees.
Aaron Judge added three RBIs for the Yankees, including a two-run home run in the seventh inning to essentially put the game away.
Jose Ramirez had his second home run of the postseason, which came in the ninth inning to get the Guardians one run closer. But the offense had its own problems, leaving 11 runners on base including twice leaving the bases loaded.
Game 3 in Cleveland is on Thursday afternoon.
Here is how social media reacted to the game.
“This has been the most infuriating playoff series I have ever seen. Make sure to give them tons of free runs, that way when they do start earning them the game is completely out of reach. For the second night in a row,” Mark Schwab of WOIO-TV posted.
“Yes, Guardians have beaten themselves. But let’s not act like Judge/Soto/Stanton haven’t already homered and the Yankees have only allowed 4 runs in the series. Come on people. New York has coasted through two games. Facts are facts!” Fox Sports college basketball announcer John Fanta posted.
“Hard to win in Yankee stadium when you make crucial errors and your “ace starter can’t make it out of the 2nd,” ESPN Cleveland’s Aaron Goldhammer posted.
“#Guardians’ mistakes continue to haunt them this ALCS. 3 errors, 0-7 RISP, 11 LOB in Game 2 is beyond bad. It’s a recipe for an early exit. If they don’t get their minds right for Game 3, brooms will be coming out at Progressive Field,” Fox 8’s John Sabol posted.
“Two fairly convincing wins by the Yankees in Games 1 and 2. Cleveland has been great at home all season. They’ll need to be great on Thursday to get back in the series,” Bally Sports Great Lakes’ Al Pawlowski posted.
Sarah Langs of MLB noted how much the odds are against the Guardians heading into Game 3.
“a lotta series left but the Guardians two biggest flaws (starting pitching, very streaky offense) have reared their ugly head. gotta flip that with three straight back in Cleveland,” Jordan Zirm of the Sporting News posted.
“The Guardians making the ALCS despite having three players fans are excited to see at-bat is quite the feat,” Ben Axelrod of Awful Announcing posted.
“The Guardians have out-uglied the Yankees in this one. Two errors, two unearned runs and a dropped sliding catch versus the two TOOTBLANS and six walks by Yankees pitchers. Crisp October baseball it is not,” Jay Jaffe of FanGraphs posted.
“It didn’t go well for Tanner Bibee today, but he threw just 39 pitches. Given the state of their rotation, the Guardians probably have to think about making him available in Cleveland by G5 (3 days’ rest),” Sportsnet baseball writer Ben Nicholson-Smith posted.
“Not in a clutch situation, but I’ll take anything from #Jose Ramirez right now & hopefully that will get him started in this series as the ALCS moves back to Cleveland for Game 3 on Thursday!” Kenny Roda of WHBC-AM in Canton posted.
“I know there’s a lot of people wanting Rizzo in the 4 hole, but I wouldn’t change a thing. His ability to possibly do damage as well as turning the lineup over has been huge for the Yankees. That’s the bottom of the order production you dream about this time of year…. leave him right where he is!!!!” former Major League outfielder Cameron Maybin posted.
“The #Yankees are two wins away from the World Series, they’re 5-1 in the postseason and they’re playing a brand of baseball that’s nowhere near their best,” Max Goodman, who covers the Yankees for NJ.com, posted.
