Cleveland’s best chance to battle back was in the seventh. After Mark Leiter Jr. loaded the bases out of the bullpen, Yankees manager Aaron Boone summoned lefty sidearmer Tim Hill with one man out. He struck Naylor out before getting Noel to pop out to shallow right and end the threat.

Arguably the best pitcher in the American League escaped that first-inning jam by inducing a pop-up to Santana, which essentially was the first and only Guardians chance against Fried in a 4-0, series-clinching Yankees victory in front of 41,665 in The Bronx on Thursday.

Max Fried has posted a 1.78 ERA through 13 starts, the Yankees’ best since Phil Niekro in 1984, starting the season with an 8-1 record.