The New York Yankees made an emphatic statement with their 9-3 win in game one of the ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays. Starting pitcher Gerrit Cole had another motivating outing, lasting 6.0 innings and giving up just three runs. He was hitting the 99 mph mark with nearly 100 pitches on the evening, attesting to his stamina and power.
However, the Yankees’ pitching wasn’t their only strength, the offense showed up as well. While they only had four runs heading into the ninth-inning, slugger Giancarlo Stanton launched a grand slam to pull the Yankees ahead significantly.