Cody Bellinger hit a tiebreaking two-run single in the 10th inning as the visiting New York Yankees opened a three-game series against the Cleveland Guardians with a 7-5 victory on Tuesday.
New York loaded the bases with one out in the 10th inning against Shawn Armstrong (1-1) before Bellinger singled to put the Yankees ahead.
Yankees closer David Bednar (2-3) struck out the two batters he faced in the ninth, then retired three straight batters in the 10th after Cleveland put two runners on with no outs.
Paul Goldschmidt hit a two-run homer and Ryan McMahon added a solo shot for New York, which used seven relievers and won for the ninth time in its last 13 games.
Angel Martinez hit a two-run homer for Cleveland, which has lost four of its last five games, went 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11 baserunners.
The Yankees claimed a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Ben Rice drew a one-out walk and Paul Goldschmidt followed with a homer, his eighth this season, off Guardians starter Gavin Williams.
In the third, Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio committed a throwing error while attempting to turn a double play, allowing Trent Grisham to score from second base.
Cleveland pulled even with three runs in the bottom of the third against Will Warren, who issued a leadoff walk to Steven Kwan. Patrick Bailey doubled and Kwan scored on a wild pitch before Bailey scored on Rocchio’s groundout.
With runners on the corners and two outs, Jose Ramirez scored when Kyle Manzardo’s ground ball up the middle skidded under the glove of shortstop Jose Caballero for an error.
Warren allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits over 4 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out five.
McMahon put the Yankees ahead in the fifth against Williams with his seventh homer of the season, a leadoff blast to left-center field.
Williams gave up four runs (three earned) on four hits while walking three and striking out five over five innings.
Cleveland took its first lead in the sixth on Martinez’s two-run homer against Paul Blackburn.
New York tied the game in the eighth against Hunter Gaddis when Grisham and Rice hit back-to-back singles and Grisham scored on Goldschmidt’s force out.
–Field Level Media
