2022 MLB Playoffs: Yankees advance to face Astros with Game 5 win vs. Guardians

By Deesha ThosarFOX Sports MLB Writer

NEW YORK — Tuesday marked one week of the Yankees-Guardians ALDS. All other division series were wrapped in five days (with three or four games). But this ALDS persisted through a scheduled off-day following Game 1, then a rainout, then three games in three days across two different cities and then another rainout. Finally, seven days later, the series reached its conclusion.

The Yankees, playing their fifth game in 13 days, beat the Guardians 5-1 in Game 5 on Tuesday at Yankee Stadium. The Bronx Bombers advanced to face the well-rested Houston Astros in the ALCS, which begins Wednesday at Minute Maid Park. In the top of the ninth inning Tuesday, fans chanted: “We want Houston!”

In some ways, this winner-take-all game was decided well before the first pitch — when Cleveland opted to stick with right-hander Aaron Civale as the Game 5 starter, despite the extra day to rework the rotation. Civale, who recorded a 4.92 ERA in 20 regular-season outings and was making his first start in nearly two weeks, faced just five Yankees batters before his night was over.

One of those five batters violently clubbed a ball to the opposite field and showed once again why he’s the Yankees’ postseason hero.

Giancarlo Stanton’s three-run home run off Civale in the first inning was exactly the way the Yankees wanted to start the game with their season on the line. Stanton now has 11 career home runs in 23 games and 77 at-bats in the postseason (all for the Yankees) since 2018. He took his bat with him halfway down the first-base line before emphatically dropping it the moment his home-run ball sunk into the right-field seats. 

Giancarlo Stanton launches three-run home run to give Yankees early lead

Giancarlo Stanton launches a three-run home run to put the Yankees up 3-0 on the Guardians in the first inning of Game 5.

Yes, a rescheduled 4:07 p.m. ET first pitch Tuesday meant many people who tried to attend Monday’s original Game 5 could not skip work or rearrange their schedules to make it to Yankee Stadium in time for that thrilling first inning. But from the ear-shattering decibels, no one would’ve been able to tell that there were empty seats. 

Stanton’s big blast turned the ballpark into the Bronx Zoo. By the time slugger Aaron Judge extended the Yankees’ lead to 4-0 with a solo home run to right in the second inning, Yankee Stadium was in full-on celebration mode. Win and advance? The crowd was no longer anxious about the final score. The Yankees did everyone’s blood pressure a favor by deciding this one early.

Aaron Judges launches solo home run to extend Yankees’ lead

Aaron Judge hits a solo home run in the second inning to put the Yankees up 4-0 on the Guardians.

And unlike the Guardians, who stuck with Civale instead of pivoting to, say, right-handed ace Shane Bieber on short rest, the Yankees replaced Jameson Taillon with reliable left-hander Nestor Cortes. The southpaw, with the funky delivery and gold chains adorning his neck, was terrific and efficient on just three days of rest. Cortes limited Cleveland to one earned run on three hits across five innings and 61 pitches.

While Cortes’ timing-related antics on the mound are always a joy to watch, none of his at-bats were more entertaining than the ones against Josh Naylor. The Guardians’ designated hitter stepped into the box in the second inning Tuesday for the first time since his baby-cradling gesture toward Gerrit Cole on Sunday. He walked up to heavy boos from the home crowd, flied out to right and was greeted with “Who’s your daddy?” chants on his jog back into Cleveland’s dugout. 

That three-worded chant resurfaced every time Naylor came to bat and was promptly retired by the Yankees pitching staff.

Deesha Thosar is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets for the New York Daily News. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

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