ALDS Game 1 Live Updates - Donnecommebernard

NEW YORK – Yankees star Gerrit Cole was awaiting the start of Game 1 of the AL Division Series on Saturday night and could already feel the energy and passion at Yankee Stadium.

“It's hard not to think about all the great moments of the franchise,” Cole said before the best-of-five series against the Kansas City Royals. “And then it’s only 50,000 people, so it’s a different sound,” one that “fills you from the feet up.”

“It's just a different sound. It's wonderful,” and it's back in the Bronx, the soundtrack to the Yankees' first postseason game since 2022.

Let's go…

Gerrit Cole ended the game after more than five innings

Houston Astros' old nemesis Yuli Gurriel (2 walks, single) opened the Royals' sixth by hitting a single off the left field wall to end Cole's night, a shaky performance from the ace.

Enter left-hander Tim Hill, signed in June after being released by the terrible White Sox to secure a 4-3 lead.

Questionable move by Matt Quatraro, Americans take the lead again

Eliminating veteran Michael Wacha in the fifth period and replacing him with 24-year-old left back Angel Zerpa was a questionable move by KC manager Matt Quatraro, to say the least.

Wacha had just reached 70 pitches when he opened the fifth with Gleyber Torres. Instead of waiting for a left-left match against Austin Wells, Quatraro teamed with Zerpa against Juan Soto.

What happened: Soto singles, Aaron Judge (1-for-20 vs. Wacha) walks and Wells walks with the bases loaded to tie it, 3-3.

Quatraro called in John Schreiber, who got two quick outs before walking Anthony Volpe with a 3-2 pitch to force the go-ahead score, 4-3.

The Yankees' lead is gone, goodbye

That happened quickly.

In the latest sign of Cole's incompetence tonight, MJ Melendez just launched a two-run home run to give KC a 3-2 lead, and Tommy Pham followed with another sharp hit against Cole.

Clay Holmes has just started warming up in the bullpen and we're only in the fourth inning.

Gleyber goes into the yard, Yanks 2-1

Entering the fourth inning, Cole now has a lead to protect.

After Alex Verdugo (booed by many at the introduction) singled, Gleyber Torres took advantage of the friendly dimensions of Yankee Stadium right field to blast a flyball home run to right for a 2-1 lead.

Since Torres returned to the helm on August 16th, he is batting over .300 with an OPS over .800.

The Royals make an error in the second inning but strike out first

This might not be Cole's night.

Cole's first five batted balls were scorched at at least 100 mph, and the Yanks caught a break when KC third base coach Vance Wilson – a former Mets catcher – caught the lumbering Salvador Perez with a sharp single from MJ Sent Melendez home.

Trying to score from second, Perez was thrown out by Soto in the first period, and the Royals settled for a 1-0 lead on Tommy Pham's sack fly. Pham is a career .343 hitter against Cole in 353 regular season ABs.

Aaron Judge vs. Michael Wacha

It's still a mile ahead of Wacha.

After the Americans opened their half of the first half with runners in second and third place and no one was eliminated, they came away empty-handed.

Wacha's comeback began with a strikeout by Judge, making the Yankees captain 1-for-19 in his career against the veteran righty with 12 strikeouts.

The Royals pulled their infield in and Austin Wells' grounder resulted in an out at the plate and Giancarlo Stanton struck out.

Wells, the rookie left-hitting catcher, hit .111 in September, but Aaron Boone didn't hesitate to move him back to the mopup spot.

Interesting start

As we speak, Gerrit Cole may be penning a thank you letter to Aaron Judge.

After leadoff hitter Michael Massey followed Cole's first pitch and nearly pinned Juan Soto to the right field wall with a long flyout, Judge made a sensational running catch in deep left-center field, robbing Bobby Witt Jr. of extra bases.

The tough 1-2-3 inning ended with a Vinnie Pasquantino lineout to center.

First pitch from Andy Pettitte

Andy Pettitte throws out the ceremonial first pitch before the Yankees' playoff opener

Yankees great Andy Pettitte throws out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 1 of the ALDS on Saturday against the Royals.

Good move by the Yankees to get some good karma going early by inviting Andy Pettitte to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before their playoff opener.

Pettitte just had a second career pitching career in October, and the last time the Yankees won it – in 2009 – the left-hander started and won all three of their crucial postseason games.