The Guardians ripped Gerrit Cole for 3 HR’s to take a 4-2 lead by the 6th en route to a 5-4 win over the Yanks on a beautiful Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium.
Cleveland jumped out to an early lead and never trailed after the fourth inning, capitalizing on Cole’s uncharacteristic struggles. José Ramírez led the charge with three hits, including a solo homer, while Ryan Hoskins drove in three runs. For the Yankees, timely power from Jazz Chisholm Jr. and José Caballero kept them in it, but limited overall hitting (just five hits) and Cole’s three home runs allowed proved costly.
The Yanks scored a run in the 9th on a Cody Bellinger sac fly to pull within 5-4, but their last 2 batters made out.
Gavin Williams earned the win (9-3) with 5⅓ strong innings, striking out six while allowing three runs. Cade Smith closed it out for his 21st save. Cole took the loss (1-1), surrendering four runs in 5⅓ innings. The game featured solid defense on both sides with no errors and highlighted the Guardians’ ability to manufacture runs against a strong Yankees lineup.
“I thought he threw the ball well,” said manager Aaron Boone about Cole. “The one mistake to Hoskins, and two pretty good swings on some decent pitches by Manzardo by Ramirez.”
The Yankees drop to 36-25. Cleveland improves to 36-27.
1. Early Power Exchange Sets the Tone
The Guardians struck first in the second inning when Kyle Manzardo launched a solo homer to right off Cole, giving Cleveland a 1-0 lead. The Yankees answered immediately in the bottom half as Jazz Chisholm Jr. homered to right, knotting the score at 1-1. Both teams traded solo shots early, signaling a game that would hinge on extra-base production and pitching depth rather than small ball.
All That Jazz. pic.twitter.com/TaRYC3cb4L
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) June 3, 2026
2. Guardians Pull Ahead in the Fourth
Cleveland regained the lead in the fourth when Ramírez singled and Hoskins followed with a two-run homer to left, making it 3-1. The Yankees responded in the bottom of the frame when José Caballero blasted a solo shot to left—confirmed after umpire review—cutting the deficit to 3-2. This back-and-forth kept the crowd engaged and showcased both teams’ willingness to swing for the fences.
Called a Cab ? pic.twitter.com/G8j9UmcEfb
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) June 4, 2026
3. Mid-Game Momentum Shift
Ramírez extended Cleveland’s advantage in the sixth with a solo homer to right off Cole, pushing the score to 4-2. The Yankees narrowed the gap later in the inning on Bellinger’s sacrifice fly that scored Ben Rice, making it 4-3. Cole exited after 5⅓ innings having allowed four runs on six hits, including the three homers, marking a rare off night for the veteran right-hander.
4. Bullpen Battle and Insurance Run
Cleveland’s relievers—T.J. Herrin, Colin Holderman, and Hunter Gaddis—shut down the Yankees through the seventh and eighth, allowing no runs and striking out key hitters. In the eighth, Hoskins delivered a clutch two-out RBI single to score Ramírez, increasing the Guardians’ lead to 5-3 and providing crucial breathing room entering the final frame.
5. Yankees’ Ninth-Inning Push Falls Short
New York mounted a final threat in the ninth. Paul Goldschmidt doubled and scored on Bellinger’s second sacrifice fly of the game, pulling the Yankees within 5-4. However, Cade Smith induced a game-ending out to secure the save. The Yankees’ limited hit total (five) and inability to string together rallies with runners in scoring position (0-for-4) proved decisive.
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