BIG AL's DAYTIME BASEBALL BLOWOUT (8-1 RUN)!

At 12:10 pm, in Game 1 of the Double Header, our selection is on the New York Yankees -1.5 runs over the Cleveland Guardians.  The Yanks are likely looking forward to playing the Guardians over this weekend.  Then again, they're probably happy to be playing anyone other than the Astros.  Against Houston, New York is 2-3 this season.  Against everyone else, the Yanks are 54-18.  At the front of the line of players who are happy not to be facing the 'Stros is ace RH Gerrit Cole.  Cole is having another season worthy of Cy Young consideration (he's yet to win the award but has come close several times).  In 15 starts covering just over 87 innings, the 31-year-old is 6-2 with a 2.99 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, an 11.4 strikeout rate and a 4.83 K:BB ratio.  This is his second start of the season against the Guardians.  On April 24, Cole threw 6 2/3 innings of four-hit, shutout ball in a 10-2 Yankees victory over Cleveland.  Prior to the loss to Houston in his last start, the Yanks had won Cole's last four outings by a total run count of 29-9.  That bodes well for a blowout this afternoon vs. the Guardians, who will hand the ball to Kirk McCarty.  The rookie southpaw is making his second major league start.  He has also pitched in relief once this season -- and that was against the Yankees.  In that outing vs. New York, he was hit hard for 4 runs in 3 innings, and gave up 2 home runs.  Overall, in his 2 appearances, he's given up 9 runs (8 earned) and 5 home runs, in 7 innings, for a 10.29 ERA.  The Yanks are 9-3 in the last 12 meetings and 6-1 in the last seven in Cleveland.  Take New York minus 1.5 runs.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.