Gerrit Cole strong for seven, beats Guardians again as Yanks roll 11-2

CLEVELAND – Gerrit Cole didn’t let Cleveland’s fast start rattle him before pitching seven strong innings and Franchy Cordero hit a three-run homer, powering the New York Yankees to an 11-2 win over the Guardians.

Cole (3-0) gave up two runs and three hits in the first inning before locking in and improving to 5-0 against Cleveland over the past two seasons. The right-hander beat the Guardians twice in last year’s AL Division Series.

Cole, who allowed five hits and struck out three, is 10-2 in 13 career starts versus Cleveland.

Cordero’s homer in New York’s five-run third off Hunter Gaddis (0-1) gave Cole a big cushion and helped the Yankees even the series after dropping the opener.

Anthony Rizzo had two RBIs for the Yankees and superstar Aaron Judge extended his on-base streak to 44 games, the second longest in the majors since 2019. It’s the third longest in New York’s storied history since 1941.

Down 2-1, the Yankees teed off in the third on Gaddis, who allowed a leadoff double to DJ LeMahieu and then hurt himself by hitting Rizzo with two strikes and walking Gleyber Torres to load the bases.

Willie Calhoun hit an RBI single and Oswaldo Cabrera delivered a sacrifice fly before Cordero connected for his third homer, a shot to right that gave the Yankees a 6-2 lead.

The Guardians, who managed just two runs off Cole in the playoffs, scored twice on the right-hander in the first – and nothing more.

Relying mostly on his potent fastball, Cole commanded the strike zone and the Guardians. Cleveland only managed to get one runner to second base after the first inning against the 32-year-old.

It started so well for the Guardians as Steven Kwan opened the first with a single off Cole and scooted to third on a hard smash by Andrés Giménez, batting second for the first time this season. José Ramírez followed with an RBI double.

Josh Naylor, whose “rock the baby” gesture toward Cole following a home run in Game 4 in October became a lasting memory of the series, hit a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0.

But much like Cleveland’s Shane Bieber did a night earlier, Cole settled in and showed why he’s one of baseball’s best.

FIRED UP

James Karinchak‘s chest-pounding celebration Monday was still a topic of conversation a day later.

Cleveland’s reliever escaped an eighth-inning jam by retiring Judge, Rizzo and Giancarlo Stanton – New York’s 2-3-4 hitters – to preserve a one-run lead. Karinchak’s animated reaction included almost knocking over catcher Mike Zunino.

While borderline excessive, neither manager found the display offensive.

“It’s funny because I know there’s times I’m probably showing my age and I think, OK, maybe we should tone it down,” said Terry Francona, Cleveland’s 63-year-old manager. “But I actually felt like doing it too when he got through that.”

Yankees manager Aaron Boone acknowledged “there’s always a line,” but didn’t think Karinchak crossed it.

“The bottom line is he got three big outs in the middle of our order in a huge spot,” he said. “Everyone wants to be annoyed by certain things or not.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Yankees: LHP Carlos Rodón (forearm strain) has been slowed by back stiffness in recent days. He’s scheduled to throw a bullpen session Wednesday and live batting practice Friday. Boone said the team will remain cautious with Rodón, who signed a six-year, $162 million contract with New York in December.

UP NEXT

The Yankees will start RHP Clarke Schmidt in the series finale Wednesday. The Guardians are expected to go with RHP Peyton Battenfield to replace Aaron Civale, on the injured list with a strained oblique.

CARSON CITY, Nev. — A bill introduced in the Nevada Legislature would give the Oakland Athletics up to $380 million for a potential 30,000 seat, $1.5 billion retractable roof stadium on the Las Vegas Strip.

The bulk of the public funding would come from $180 million in transferable tax credits from the state and $120 million in county bonds, which can vary based on interest rate returns. Clark County also would contribute $25 million in credit toward infrastructure costs.

The A’s have been looking for a home to replace Oakland Coliseum, where the team has played since arriving from Kansas City for the 1968 season. The team had sought to build a stadium in Fremont, San Jose and finally the Oakland waterfront, all ideas that never materialized.

The plan in the Nevada Legislature won’t directly raise taxes. It can move forward with a simply majority vote in the Senate and Assembly. Lawmakers have a little more than a week to consider the proposal before they adjourn June 5, though it could be voted on if a special session is called.

The Athletics have agreed to use land on the southern end of the Las Vegas Strip, where the Tropicana Las Vegas casino resort sits. Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao has said he is disappointed the team didn’t negotiate with Oakland as a “true partner.”

Las Vegas would be the fourth home for a franchise that started as the Philadelphia Athletics from 1901-54. It would become the smallest TV market in Major League Baseball and the smallest market to be home to three major professional sports franchises.

The team and Las Vegas are hoping to draw from the nearly 40 million tourists who visit the city annually to help fill the stadium. The 30,000-seat capacity would make it the smallest MLB stadium.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said a vote on the Oakland Athletics’ prospective move to Las Vegas could take place when owners meet June 13-15 in New York.

The plan faces an uncertain path in the Nevada Legislature. Democratic leaders said financing bills, including for the A’s, may not go through if Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo vetoes the five budget bills, which he has threatened to do as many of his priorities have stalled or faded in the Democratic-controlled Legislature.

Under the bill, the Clark County Board of Commissioners would create a homelessness prevention and assistance fund along the stadium’s area in coordination with MLB and the Nevada Resort Association. There, they would manage funds for services, including emergency rental and utility assistance, job training, rehabilitation and counseling services for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

The lease agreement with the Las Vegas Stadium Authority would be up for renewal after 30 years.

Nevada’s legislative leadership is reviewing the proposal, Democratic state Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager said in a statement.

“No commitment will be made until we have both evaluated the official proposal and received input from interested parties, including impacted community members,” Yeager said.

Cole strong for seven, beats Guardians again as Yankees roll 11-2

New bill to build Athletics stadium on Las Vegas Strip caps Nevada’s cost at $380 million