Carlos Rodon pitched 7 innings of 4-hit, 0-earned-run ball, striking out 8 and walking 2 in his most dominant performance of the season so far to lead the Yankees to a 5-1 win over the Guardians on a Wednesday afternoon in Cleveland.
The bats of Aaron Judge, Ben Rice, Paul Goldschmidt, Jasson Dominguez, and Austin Wells provided the offense, with Fernando Cruz and Luke Weaver getting the hold and the save.
Judge just missed a homer his first time up, hitting a triple off the top of the centerfield wall to drive in a run. He got a single his 2nd time up for 6 consecutive hits (after going 4-4 in the prior game).
But the story of the game was Rodon, who was in command all day — his 4th straight excellent start — and raised his record to 3-3 3.50.
“Another strong one for him,” said manager Aaron Boone about Rodon. “Gives up a 1st inning run there and then got into a really good groove; got better and better as he went. Just really good presence with the fastball; was able to add and subtract with it; when he needed it, he had it. And kind of all over the zone — up, down, in, out. Secondary pitches; he had the slider going. And pretty efficient for 7 innings.”
NY improves to 15-10, in 1st in the AL East. Cleveland drops to 14-10.
1. Judge & Goldschmidt Jump Yanks on Top
The Yanks JUMPED on Luis Ortiz, Cleveland’s 26-year-old, 6’2 righty starter, in the top of the 1st. Ben Rice walked and Aaron Judge hit a BOMB to center that hit the top of the wall for a triple, scoring Rice.
Judge triples to get us on the board ? pic.twitter.com/1ViqsbQOc6
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 23, 2025
Ortiz then walked Cody Bellinger, and Paul Goldschmidt doubled him home for a 2-0 Yankee lead.
Goldy knock ? pic.twitter.com/h2vvzIXMEA
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 23, 2025
Ortiz struck out the next 3 batters — Jazz Chisholm Jr., Anthony Volpe, and Austin Wells — who have all been in dreadful slumps for NY.
2. Rice & Goldschmidt Make It 4-1 in 2nd
Cleveland scored an unearned run on Rodon in the bottom of the 1st — Gabriel Arias hit a 1-out double and Jose Ramirez singled to center where Bellinger booted it allowing Arias to score. Rodon got a pop out and ground out to end the inning making the run unearned.
But the Yankee bats came right back in the top of the 2nd as Jasson Dominguez led off with a walk, stole 2nd, and scored on a 1-out single to right by Ben Rice.
Rice continues to cook ? pic.twitter.com/YzUiABGpp9
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 23, 2025
Judge followed with a sharp single to left, and with 2 outs, Paul Goldschmidt ripped a single to left for a 4-1 Yankee lead.
Solid gold hits ? pic.twitter.com/EeLd5LHekN
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 23, 2025
3. Rodon in Command
Rodon got into a little bit more trouble in the 2nd — a leadoff bunt single by Angel Martinez and a 1-out walk to Hedges, but started to mow down the Indians (formerly) — striking out 2 in the inning.
Rodon worked around a 1-out walk in the 3rd with a pop out and strike out to end the inning, and then struck out the side in the 4th. He was motoring.
He allowed a 1-out single to Steven Kwan in the 5th, but then retired the last 8 batters in a row — including a 1-2-3 inning in the 6th and 7th.
The Dón in 8K.
Presented by @Delta pic.twitter.com/KQFCC2Qn9l
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 23, 2025
4. Bellinger Out at Plate in 6th
The Yanks almost got an insurance run in the 6th against reliever Joey Cantillo. Ben Rice led off with a walk, but Judge — who had walked in the 4th — made his first out in 2 games — hitting into a double play to shortstop.
With 2 outs, Cody Bellinger singled and Paul Goldschmidt doubled to left — Bellinger raced around the basepaths and tried to score but was thrown out at home.
5. Wells Drives In Insurance Run in 7th
The Yanks did get an insurance run in the 7th against reliever Zak Kent — Jazz Chisholm Jr. led off with a walk and stole 2nd. Anthony Volpe struck out but Austin Wells hit a double to left center, scoring Chisholm for a 5-1 Yankee lead.
Austin adds on ? pic.twitter.com/jbyDwPPrej
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 23, 2025
6. Everyone Got a Hit — Except Volpe & Oswaldo
Volpe’s strikeout in the 7th was his 4th strikeout of the game. In the 8th he came up and grounded out to 3rd so just missed the Super Golden Sombrero; he went 0-5 with 4 strikeouts, lowering his average from .209 to .198. He still however has a +.6 WAR and has a higher batting average than Austin Wells (.181), Bellinger (.177), and Chisholm (.165).
Everyone in the Yankee lineup got a hit on the day except Anthony Volpe and Oswaldo Cabrera (now at .262).
Conversely, Aaron Judge leads MLB with a .415 batting average, and Paul Goldschmidt is 2nd in with a .383. Ben Rice is batting .288. Cabrera is 4th on the Yanks with .262, and Dominguez is 5th with a .234.
7. Fernando the Hold
Fernando Cruz came in for the 8th and used his NASTY splitter to strike out 2 in a 1-2-3 inning.
Fernando Cruz’s Unhittable Splitters. ? pic.twitter.com/DJLwtjuPlC
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 23, 2025
8. Weaver the Save; Bellinger SPECTACULAR Catch
And Luke Weaver — not Devin Williams — got the call for the save. The Yankees needed this one after losing the first 2 of the series to Cleveland — and Rodon helped by pitching 7 innings, allowing Boone to allow the natural progression of Fernando and Weaver to close.
“We got him up, just reading the situation,” said Boone about Devin Williams.
Weaver allowed a 1-out single, got a fly out for 2 outs, and then allowed a long fly ball to center by Daniel Schneemann that Cody Bellinger made a Willie Mays-esq catch on for the old ballgame.
Cody catch to secure the W ? pic.twitter.com/HYU288dujf
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 23, 2025
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