Cleveland Guardians Mistakes Continue After Yankees Score Run On Dropped Pop-Up

Game one of the American League Championship Series between the Cleveland Guardians and New York Yankees was a mistake-filled mess for Cleveland. 

It started in the bottom of the third inning, when reliever Joey Cantillo entered the game with the bases loaded and two outs facing Anthony Rizzo. Cantillo threw four consecutive balls, with one bouncing away from catcher Bo Naylor handing the Yankees their second run of the game.

New York got its third run on another wild pitch to the very next hitter, Alex Verdugo.

It continued in the 4th inning: Cantillo walked Gleyber Torres to lead off, then threw two consecutive wild pitches to allow him to get to third. An Aaron Judge sacrifice fly then extended the lead to 4-0. 

Three of the Yankees' four runs to that point were directly related to wild pitches. Not a recipe for success. But Cleveland entered game two on Tuesday night with an opportunity to even the series behind their best starting pitcher, Tanner Bibee. After a sloppy, miscue-filled game one, it seemed obvious that manager Steven Vogt's message to his players would be to play clean, fundamentally sound baseball to not set the team back in a must-win playoff game.

They did not listen.

NEW YORK - Brayan Rocchio of the Cleveland Guardians can't make a play on a ball hit by Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees in the first inning during Game Two of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium on October 15, 2024. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Sloppy Play Continues For Cleveland Guardians Against New York Yankees

The Yankees in game two once again jumped out to a strong start offensively; Gleyber Torres led off the bottom of the first inning with a double, followed by a Juan Soto single. First and third, nobody out for Aaron Judge. Doesn't get much better than that.

But Judge's postseason struggles continued; on a 0-1 count, he popped it up towards second base. Surely, a routine play to secure the first out of the game and set up the potential for an inning-ending double play. Instead, shortstop Brayan Rocchio drifted over, out of position, and flat out dropped the ball.

Four runs in the first 10 innings of the ALCS gifted from Cleveland to New York. 

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The Guardians are already at a significant talent disadvantage to the Yankees, and this year's Yankees lineup is quite mediocre relative to the name value at most positions. Giving away runs is not a recipe for postseason success regardless of team or opponent. But it's especially difficult to overcome as a significant underdog in a hostile road environment and against a tough starter and bullpen.

Cleveland allowed two more runs through the first three innings on an Alex Verdugo double and Judge sacrifice fly. And when the Yankees get contributions from the likes of Alex Verdugo, and this much help from an already overmatched opponent, it could make for a very short series.