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Stephen Vogt and the Cleveland Guardians took down the New York Yankees in the longest game played on the 2024 schedule. Vogt gave credit to both teams for outlasting the barnburner, but was more impressed to see his Guardians come out on top.
Cleveland won 9-5 in a game that went 12 innings. Vogt felt excited, but mainly relieved to earn the victory, via the Associated Press.
“What an unbelievable game by both teams,” Vogt said. “Someone had to outlast the other, and fortunately, it was us.”
After battling back and forth through the fourth inning, the Guardians and Yankees found themselves tied at four. It would remain that way until the top of the 12th inning, when Lane Thomas hit at RBI double. It sparked a six-run inning for Cleveland as they went into the bottom of the frame up 9-3.
New York would fight back as a two-run Aaron Judge double cut into the lead. However, the Guardians kept them off the board from there, moving to 73-52 on the season by earning the victory.
“It was a huge him for him, obviously, it was a huge hit for us,” Vogt said of Thomas' double. “It was just something that we needed, and for him to come through, I know that's going to be big for him. And it catapulted that huge inning.”
Cleveland went through seven pitchers on Tuesday, meaning their staff might be a bit taxed. However, they threw the first stone in their vital matchup against the Yankees. Cleveland has set the tone and will be looking to parlay their long-winded opening victory into a series win.
Guardians making push for playoffs
With their record, the Guardians hold a 3.5 game lead over the field in the AL Central. Beating playoff teams like the Yankees will be pivotal for Cleveland to hold onto their postseason positioning. Proving they can win a marathon against one of the American League's best is a good sign.
While they had a nine-run outburst on Tuesday, the Guardians will be looking for a bit more from their offense. They rank 13th in the league with 572 runs scored. Cleveland sits 14th in home runs (143) and 19th in batting average (.238). It certainly could be worse, but the Guardians will need to be close to immaculate to be true World Series contenders.
Luckily, the team has come well equipped with bats. Players like Jose Ramirez, Steven Kwan and Josh Naylor will all be counted on to help carry the offense. Perhaps Thomas' hit propels him into an even greater role in Cleveland.
In terms of pitching, the Guardians have been the sixth-best team in terms of ERA with a 3.72 mark. However, taking away the bullpen stats reveal a worrying trend. Cleveland's starting pitching ranks 23rd in MLB with a 4.54 ERA.
While players like Tanner Bibee and Ben Lively are doing what they can to keep things afloat, it's clear the Guardians need someone(s) to step up. Especially after Alex Cobb joined Shane Bieber on the injured list.
Their win over the Yankees showed the Guardians' potential. Even with their faults they've been one of the best teams in the league and are on pace to win their division. They may not get as many headlines as the New York, but Cleveland is looking to prove they are just as valid of a World Series contender.
