The Yankees defeated the Cleveland Guardians 5-2 in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series on Monday night.

Here are some notes on Monday’s game…

Juan Soto hits first postseason homer with Yankees

The Yankees kept knocking on the door the first two innings towards the start of Guardiansr Alex Cobb but I couldn’t hit the clutch.

By the time the third inning rolled around, the Yankees left four runners on base and went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position. It looked like another night where the Yankees would strand runner after runner en route to a narrow loss, but Soto changed the tenor of the game in the third.

As he took off, Soto took Cobb deep and launched a 90 mph sinker over the center field wall. On a cold fall night in the Bronx, it was impressive and gave the Yankees a spark.

“It got us on the board because he was like the 11th batter at that point. We had a lot of good at bats, we had traffic, we had six base runners, but we didn’t have any of that to show for it,” manager Aaron Boone said after the game. “So for him to break through and get us on the board, and then we continued to have good at-bats.”

The Yankees would score two more runs in the third – thanks to two wild pitches that allowed a runner to score – and two more later, which was more than enough for starter Carlos Rodon, who struck out nine and allowed just one run . more than six innings.

by Antoni Rizzo first game back

Rizzo started at first base on Monday and was solid for the Yankees. He went 1-for-3 with a walk and manned his position as the veteran always does.

The Yankees were happy to have their starting first baseman back, but he was thrown out in the ninth inning Oswaldo Cabrera.

Boone explained that decision after the game.

“Rizzo is good. Hand was good. I thought he was sharp, which is good to see,” he said. “He was physically and emotionally exhausted there late in the game and I felt like I had to get him out of there.

“He hasn’t been on the field for more than two weeks. He came out fine with the hand, expect him in there tomorrow. I thought he had some really good at bats.

The Yankees skipper expects Rizzo to be in the lineup for Game 2, but we’ll see how the veteran feels tomorrow.

Giancarlo Stanton keeps pounding

Stanton launched another home run Monday, his second this postseason, a 450-foot moonshot to left center field. That home run capped the Yankees’ scoring in Game 1, but the slugger continues to stick up for the team in October, especially when others don’t.

“Kind of a presence in the middle of our lineup there. That’s what he’s capable of,” Boone said of Stanton. “That ball absolutely nailed it on a cold night, hitting the back of the bullpen right there. He just missed one in his first AB… he just piled on quality ABS and when he does that he’s able to hit one like he did tonight.”

So far this postseason, Stanton is 7-for-19 (.368) with two home runs and five RBI – not to mention a stolen base. This comes after he hit just .233 in the regular season, which begs the question of how he remains a better hitter in the playoffs.

“Just hyperfocus,” Stanton said. “I understand how important every pitch, every moment is. I understand that in those moments you won’t always be successful, but everything I can do, every piece of information, video or swings, I can do to be there in my best place at this time.”