Ramírez leads the way again as Guardians hit 3 homers off Cole in 5-4 victory over Yankees

NEW YORK (AP) — José Ramírez launched one of Cleveland’s three home runs off Gerrit Cole and finished with three hits for the second consecutive game as the Guardians beat the New York Yankees 5-4 on Wednesday night.

New York slugger Aaron Judge missed his second game in a row because of a bone bruise in his upper right rib that’s been causing pain in his right shoulder. Judge saw a specialist Wednesday and went back for more specific imaging, manager Aaron Boone said, but there’s no timetable yet for his return.

Kyle Manzardo homered for the second straight night in the Bronx and doubled twice. Rhys Hoskins also went deep and drove in three runs for the Guardians, who improved to a major league-best 10-1 on the road since May 6.

Ramírez, who also got his 21st stolen base and scored three times, is hitting .412 with 10 homers, 10 doubles, 22 RBIs, 31 runs, 10 steals and a 1.216 OPS in 36 regular-season games at Yankee Stadium. He’s batted .344 in 69 career games against the Yankees overall, highest among active players with at least 150 plate appearances.

Cleveland, which has won 15 of 20 overall, will try for a three-game sweep Thursday afternoon in this matchup of American League contenders. Gavin Williams (9-3) allowed three runs and struck out six over 5 1/3 innings to win his fourth consecutive start for the Guardians, who won a series at Yankee Stadium for the first time since September 2021.

Williams had lasted at least six innings in a career-high eight straight starts.

Cade Smith permitted a run in the ninth before converting his big league-leading 21st save and 18th in a row.

Including the postseason, New York had won nine of its past 10 completed series against Cleveland since 2022.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. and José Caballero homered for the Yankees. Cody Bellinger had a pair of sacrifice flies.

Cole (1-1) gave up four runs and six hits with only two strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. The 2023 AL Cy Young Award winner had pitched 12 2/3 scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts in two starts this season since returning from reconstructive elbow surgery.

Guardians shortstop Gabriel Arias, on the 60-day injured list with a strained left hamstring, will start a rehab assignment Thursday at Triple-A Columbus.

Up next

Guardians RHP Slade Cecconi (3-5, 5.25 ERA) was scheduled to face LHP Carlos Rodón (1-2, 3.32) in the series finale Thursday.

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