The Guardians took down the Yankees 6-4 in game one of this three-game series in an ALCS rematch

Cleveland—The Yankees started a new series today in Cleveland against the Guardians, as the Guardians took game one 6-4. Clarke Schmidt got the start for the Yankees, and Gavin Williams got the ball for the Guardians. 

In the bottom of the first inning, Yankees starter Clarke Schmidt worked around two walks with the help of a strikeout. 

Schmidt picked up two more strikeouts in the bottom of the second inning as he retired the Guardians in order. 

In the bottom of the third inning, the Guardians got the scoring started against Schmidt thanks to a 3-run home run from Jose Ramriez to make it 3-0. The next batter, Kyle Manzardo, launched a solo home run to make it back-to-back and a 4-0 Garudians lead. 

“I felt like he was a little bit off command-wise,” Manager Aaron Boone said about Schmidt. “The pitch to Ramariez, I think he was just trying to get it a little tighter, probably a little higher, drop down and in… but I thought he just struggled a little bit with having that next level command.”

The Guardians picked up another run off Schmidt in the bottom of the fourth inning on a broken bat RBI single that Jazz Chisholm Jr. could have made a play on, but got distracted by the broken bat to make it a 5-0 game. Schmidt picked up his seventh strikeout of the game on a nice back-door cutter to strand the bases loaded and limit the damage. 

Clarke Schmidt's final line: four innings pitched, seven hits allowed, five earned runs, three walks. And seven strikeouts on 80 pitches. Schmidt's stuff looked solid, just got bit by the long ball twice and walked too many guys, but to have seven strikeouts in your second start back off the IL against a Cleveland team that doesn't strike out much is impressive at least. 

"Yeah, I would say obviously the walks are frustrating," Schmidt said. "Beyond that, I feel like I made some good pitches. The Ramariez one you have to tip your cap to, he is a really good hitter."

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Yondreys Gomez came in to replace Schmidt on the mound and worked around a one-out single to work a scoreless inning. 

In the top of the sixth, Cody Bellinger picked up a single the other way to left field with one out. But Gavin Williams set Aaron Judge, Paul Goldschmidt, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. down on strikes to strand Beli. 

“I feel like his team was playing really good defense, he was hitting all his spots, I mean, he was pitching great today.” Jazz said about Williams, “That's why he's one of their best pitchers, I mean he was out there doing everything that he studied and he did before he came into the game tonight to battle us and he did his thing.” 

In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Guardians extended their lead thanks to a two-out RBI single from Jose Ramirez to make it a 6-0 game, and a four-RBI night for Ramirez. 

Anthony Volpe led off the top of the seventh with a line drive single right back up the middle. The next batter, the Martain, sent one into orbit as Jasson Dominguez launched a long 2-run home run 445 feet away to make it a 6-2 game, as the Yankees finally got to Williams. 

“I already had two other at-bats where I swung at bad pitches,” Dominguez said on his approach in the seventh. “That at-bat, I was just trying to compete and get a good one to hit.”

Paul Godlsmchidt picked up a two-out single in the top of the eighth, his second hit of the night. The next batter, Jazz Chisholm Jr., crushed a 2-run home run to put the Yankees right back in and make it a 6-4 game. 

“I mean, it was very validating,” Jazz, who has been slumming on his home run. “Finally getting out there, still hitting the ball hard, but finally getting it to fall somewhere. Even though it's not in the park, I’m trying to get the base hits as well, you know, not only home runs.”

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Ryan Yarbrough came in to pitch, replacing Gomez. Yarbrough worked around a lead-off hit by pitch as he worked a scoreless inning. 

Oswaldo Cabreara picked up a one-out single in the top of the ninth to bring the tying run to the plate. But Austin Wells and Aaron Judge struck out to end this ballgame, 6-4 final. 

The Yankees will look to bounce back tomorrow in game two of this series. Will Warren will get the start for the Yankees, and Tanner Bibee will take the ball for the Guardians. The first pitch will be at 6:10 p.m. ET on the YES Network. 

My thoughts on the game: It's hard to win when you fall behind 6-0. It seemed like nothing was going the Yankees' way for the first six innings tonight. A big part of that was Gavin Williams just shutting down the Yankees. Ben Rice pinch hit in the ninth inning today, so hopefully he will be back out there tomorrow. The lineup could definitely use him. Not having Trent Grisham tonight due to him being placed on the paternity list this morning was definitely a tough loss tonight, as Pobla Reyes ended up getting the start in right field. Far from the greatest start from Clarke Schmidt, but his stuff didn't look too bad at all, just got bit by the long ball two times, and walked three guys, still trying to round into form coming back from the IL.