CLEVELAND — Will Warren was working on a one-hit shutout when he took the mound for the sixth inning.
Nine batters later — only two of which Warren faced — the Guardians had scratched across just enough runs to win the game.
It happened quickly, in part by their own doing, but the Yankees’ two-run lead turned into a 3-2 loss on Tuesday night at Progressive Field.
Cade Smith needed just four pitches to retire the bottom of the order in the top of the ninth to clinch the series victory for the Guardians (14-9).
Carlos Rodón will try to help the Yankees (14-10) stave off a sweep on Wednesday afternoon.
Aaron Judge turned in a terrific all-around night, going 4-for-4 with a double (raising his average to .411) and making a diving catch in right field.
But it was not enough.
Warren, coming off a rough outing in which he lasted just 1 ²/₃ innings against the Rays on Thursday because he had to throw 38 pitches in the second inning, was much sharper on Tuesday.
But he received little in the way of run support.
Will Warren (left) is taken out of the game during the sixth inning of the Yankees’ 3-2 loss to the Guardians on April 22, 2025.AP
In the lineup for the first time Saturday, when he was drilled on the left elbow with a slider, Ben Rice picked up right where he left off.
On the first pitch of the game, Rice ripped a home run over the tall left-field wall for the 1-0 lead off Tanner Bibee.
In the bottom of the fifth, Judge gave Warren a helping hand, making a diving catch down the right-field line to end the frame.
Judge then led off the top of the sixth with his third hit of the night, a double to left field, and he eventually came in to score on Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s sacrifice fly that made it 2-0.
Steven Kwan looks to score a run on a passed ball by Mark Leiter during the sixth inning of the Yankees’ loss to the Guardians.AP
Judge then led off the top of the sixth with his third hit of the night, a double to left field, and he eventually came in to score on Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s sacrifice fly that made it 2-0.
Steven Kwan led off the bottom of the sixth with a line-drive single to right field and Nolan Jones followed with a single that just got through the right side.
Aaron Boone then went to the bullpen for Mark Leiter Jr., who immediately struck out the Guardians’ biggest threat, José Ramírez, on three pitches.
Anthony Volpe attempts to throw out a running during the sixth inning of the Yankees’ loss to the Guardians.AP
But the Guardians made things happen with Kyle Manzardo at the plate.
Kwan and Jones both took off on a pitch and J.C. Escarra began to pop out of his stance behind the plate to throw one of them out.
But Leiter’s pitch went down and in and Escarra was unable to stop it as it went to the backstop, allowing both runners to take an extra base to make it 2-1.
Manzardo then hit a sinking liner to right that Judge tried to make a diving play on, but it fell just short of him for a double that tied the game.
Aaron Judge scores on Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s sacrifice fly in the sixth inning of the Yankees’ loss to the Guardians.AP
One out and one walk later, the Guardians had runners on the corners for Angel Martinez, who hit a liner just past second base that ate Anthony Volpe up on a tough hop, allowing Manzardo to score for the 3-2 lead.
