CLEVELAND — The Yankees jumped on Guardians ace Shane Bieber quickly on Monday night, but a two-run first inning wasn’t enough to net a win for the away team.
Domingo German had a lot to do with that in the 3-2 loss. The right-hander, one of three rotation fill-ins due to various injuries, made his second start of the year and the shortest of the Yankees’ season while compiling a rather odd line. German needed a whopping 87 pitches for three measly innings while totaling two hits allowed, one earned run, five walks, zero strikeouts and one error.
German’s error, on an easy bunt popped directly at him, led to a run.
The short performance would’ve gone worse for German if not for the Houdini act that Colten Brewer pulled off in relief.
After German surrendered an RBI double to Mike Zunino — one of three doubles for the Guardians catcher Monday — the Yankees called on Brewer for the first time since April 2. And while the righty walked the bases loaded upon his arrival, he had the fortune of knocking a comebacker down before throwing home for a force out. He then induced a double play.
All in all, Brewer totaled three scoreless innings while striking out one and walking one. He allowed just one hit on 28 pitches.
However, the next man out of the pen, Ian Hamilton, issued a few free passes in the seventh before Josh Naylor gave the Guardians a 3-2 lead with a sac fly.
Bieber, meanwhile, settled down after Giancarlo Stanton drilled a two-run double off him in the opening frame. While the righty allowed five hits, three walks and just four strikeouts, he rebounded for a seven-inning outing and kept the Yankees from crossing the plate again.
However, the Yankees had a chance to tie the game at three in the eighth when Gleyber Torres lined a ball to center field. Myles Straw, a Yankees fan favorite, poorly decided to dive for the sinking ball. It got by him, and Torres ended up on third with no outs.
But the Yankees failed to push that run across the plate, eliciting a fiery reaction from Guardians reliever James Karinchak.
That was a common theme for both teams on Monday. While the Guardians led the way with 10 runners left on base, the Yankees certainly didn’t do themselves any favors by stranding five of their own runners.
By the time Emmanuel Clase took over in the ninth, it was too little too late. The Guardians closer made quick work of the Yankees as they dropped the first game of the series.
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