Aaron Judge Leads Yankees to ALCS Victory

The New York Yankees took a commanding 2-0 lead in the American League Championship Series (ALCS) against the Cleveland Guardians with a 6-3 victory, bolstered by Aaron Judge's pivotal two-run homer in the seventh inning. Judge, who drove in three runs overall, marked his first postseason home run since 2022, contributing significantly after a slow start to the playoffs. The Yankees capitalized on defensive errors from Cleveland, including a crucial dropped popup by shortstop Brayan Rocchio that allowed Gleyber Torres to score the game's initial run. Despite a challenging outing from ace Gerrit Cole, who lasted only 4.1 innings and allowed two runs, the Yankees' offense remained resilient, with contributions from Alex Verdugo and Anthony Rizzo. The series now moves to Cleveland for Game 3 on Thursday, and the Yankees are seeking their first World Series appearance since 2009.