Max Fried delivered a masterclass on the mound as the New York Yankees shut out the Cleveland Guardians 4-0 Thursday night in the Bronx, but it was Cody Bellinger’s explosive bat that stole the spotlight—and left fans buzzing about what’s next.
The left-hander Fried bounced back from his first loss of the season, allowing just a single hit—a 94-foot infield single to José Ramírez in the first inning—over six dominant innings. Fried struck out seven, walked two, and retired of the last batters he faced, earning his eighth win and notching his fourth scoreless outing of the year.
Bellinger broke the deadlock in the fourth with a towering two-run homer, then added an RBI single in the seventh, finishing the night with three RBIs. Jazz Chisholm Jr. chipped in with a late run-scoring single as the Yankees racked up hits and handed Cleveland starter Slade Cecconi his second loss.
Aaron Judge reached base three times, including two intentional walks, and raised his average to .392. For the Guardians, Ramírez extended his on-base streak to 31 games, but the offense was otherwise stifled, managing just three baserunners all night.
The Yankees, now 38-23, head into their series against the Red Sox riding a wave of momentum, while the Guardians fall to 33-28 and look to regroup after being held scoreless for the second time this week.
