Jazz Chisholm Jr. made a statement in his return from the injured list, powering the New York Yankees (37-22) to a 3-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians (32-27) on Tuesday night in the Bronx.
After being no-hit through four innings, it was Chisholm Jr. who broke through with a bloop single in the fifth to spark the offense. He came around to score the game’s first run on a DJ LeMahieu two-out single, showing off the speed and spark the Yankees missed during his time away.
Chisholm Jr. wasn’t done. With the game tied 1-1 in the seventh, he led off the inning by crushing a solo home run to center field, his eighth of the season, giving the Yankees a lead they wouldn’t surrender. Anthony Volpe followed with a homer of his own, marking his seventh of the season and giving the Yankees a 3-1 cushion.
Carlos Rodón delivered another strong outing, allowing just one run over seven innings while striking out eight. After a rocky start, Rodón retired 17 straight at one point, extending his scoreless streak to 20 innings before it was snapped in the seventh.
The bullpen stepped up despite being short-handed. Mark Leiter Jr. worked a clean eighth, and Devin Williams battled through a long ninth to lock down his sixth save, allowing one run before shutting the door.
The three-game series continues on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium, with the first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].