United Effort: Yankees Nearly Empty Bullpen, Edge Guardians in 10-Inning Thriller

In the end, Fernando Cruz was the only reliever remaining in the Yankees’ bullpen.

One by one, his teammates were summoned into the fray as the Yankees battled to a 7-5, 10-inning victory over the Guardians at Progressive Field, while Cruz stayed put. Some bullpen mates were called on to put out fires, others to soak up innings. But all those moves culminated when closer David Bednar got Brayan Rocchio to ground out, then celebrated by clapping his glove on the infield.

In the words of manager Aaron Boone: “It wasn’t pretty, but it was tough enough.”

How tough? Boone was forced to use every player on his bench and seven of his eight relievers. Not every move paid off, but the right choices were made at the right moments.

Ever since Aaron Judge was sidelined a week ago with a stress fracture in his right rib, the biggest question for the Yankees has been how to replace his offensive firepower. At least on this night, they provided an answer, scoring seven runs on nine hits and six walks in Monday’s victory.

The pivotal moment came in the 10th inning when Cody Bellinger delivered a two-run single off Guardians reliever Shawn Armstrong. With Cleveland’s infield drawn in, Bellinger poked a 2-2 fastball from Armstrong through the gap between shortstop Rocchio and third baseman José Ramírez, giving the Yankees a two-run lead.

“I had a job to do, and I just tried to get it done, keep it simple, and not overthink,” Bellinger said. He didn’t try to launch the ball; instead, he went with the pitch and placed it perfectly. “That’s why he’s Cody Bellinger,” Boone said with a smile.

Bellinger’s clutch hit was set up by a superb at-bat from utility infielder Max Schuemann, who is not known for his hitting. Schuemann drew a walk after entering as a pinch runner for Paul Goldschmidt in the eighth inning. Given that he would bat in extras in place of the 380-homer Goldschmidt, the swap initially seemed disadvantageous for the Yankees. But Schuemann worked a five-pitch walk, laying the foundation for Bellinger’s heroics.

“That was a great at-bat,” Goldschmidt said. “Those pitches were close. Whether he’s with us or in the minors, he’s always done that well.” The last pitch to Schuemann was initially called a strike, but he immediately challenged, and when the ABS (Automated Ball-Strike System) decision appeared on the video board, he began removing his gear. “When he started doing that, it actually gave me some relief,” Boone said.

After starter Will Warren lasted only 4.1 innings due to the Guardians’ grinding at-bats, Bellinger’s heroics rescued a long, up-and-down day for the bullpen. The game tilted in Cleveland’s favor when Paul Blackburn gave up a go-ahead homer to Angel Martínez in the sixth. But Ryan Yarbrough, Jake Bird, Camilo Doval, Tim Hill, and Bednar combined for 5.2 scoreless innings to close it out.

Hill entered in the eighth with runners on first and second and one out, and tossed a scoreless frame. Bednar worked 1.2 scoreless innings on 27 pitches (17 strikes) to earn the win. “A lot of guys stepped up and made big plays when we needed to win,” Boone said. Indeed, nearly everyone contributed, as Boone emptied the bench and used every reliever except Cruz (who warmed up in the ninth and tenth).

“We’re already a tight group, but I feel like games like this bring us even closer,” Warren said. After the game, Warren noted it felt like a playoff atmosphere because Boone emptied the bench and Guardians manager Stephen Vogt also used nearly his entire roster. The moves may not have produced the cleanest game in Yankees history, but it resulted in the season’s best victory—especially considering it came without Judge.

“Everyone in our room understands that it takes everybody, and today was a perfect example,” Bellinger said.