The Yankees cruised to a breezy victory over the Guardians on Monday night, jumping out to a 4-0 lead in an eventual 5-2 win in the Bronx to take the ALCS opener.
The Yanks walked seven times and scored twice on four wild pitches from Joey Cantillo, a performance that Boomer and Gio can’t believe the Guardians will replicate the rest of the way.
“You don’t expect a team to play as poorly as the Guardians did,” Boomer said. “Four wild pitches in one game? You can’t expect that again. The home runs are one thing, but the walks and the wild pitches and giving up bases? Giving up runs?”
But they do believe that Carlos Rodon’s performance can be replicated, as the Yankee lefty passed his even-keel test with flying colors, managing his emotions on the mound as he dominated for six innings of one-run ball with nine strikeouts, generating a whopping 25 swings and misses on the way.
“Hats off to him. He absolutely deserves all the credit,” Boomer said. “There was a distinct difference in his demeanor, and it ended up working out.”
“If the Yankees are going to continue this championship run and get to a World Series, he’s gonna need to be a big part of it,” Gio added. “And he was great.”