By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

The New York Yankees and third baseman Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm Jr took the early lead in the Major League Baseball’s American League Championship series last night.

Chisholm Jr, playing third base and batting sixth in the line-up, was hitless in his four at-bats, but his Yankees held on for a 5-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians at home in Yankee Stadium in New York.

Game two of the best-of-five series will be played tonight as Chisholm Jr and the Yankees look to book their ticket in the World Series and a possible match-up against the New York Mets and Bahamian first baseman coach Antoan Richardson. 

After getting shutout 9-0 in their first game on Sunday at the Dodger Stadium, Richardson and his Mets pulled even in their National League series with a 7-3 victory. Game three will be played on Wednesday.

In their game that followed the Mets/Dodgers’ game, the Yankees were holding onto a 5-1 lead after Giancarlo Stanton got a two-out solo home run in the seventh.

But Chisholm Jr, in his final plate appearance, struck out swinging to end the inning.

As the lead off batter in the fifth with New York holding onto a 4-1 cushion, Chisholm Jr grounded out to second baseman Andrés Giménez to first baseman Josh Naylor.

In the third after Juan Soto cracked a lead off solo