If the Cleveland Guardians need a new closer, Cade Smith has stepped forward as the first candidate.

Smith only needed four pitches to put away the New York Yankees in the ninth inning of Cleveland’s 3-2 victory last night at Progressive Field.

The Guardians have won five straight games and improved their home record to 7-1. Cleveland is back in first place in the American League Central Division with a 14-9 record.

Smith recorded his second save in a row. That doesn’t mean he’s the new closer, as Emmanuel Clase was resting after pitching in all three games in Pittsburgh.

Closers are like Jell-O. There’s always room for more.

PLAYING THE ACE

Tanner Bibee wasn’t dominant on the mound for the Guardians, but he was good enough to beat the defending American League champions.

Bibee (2-2) pitched six innings, giving up five hits and two runs. He lowered his ERA to 5.19.

Aaron Judge doesn’t have the support of Giancarlo Stanton (injured again) and Juan Soto (across town with the Mets). He went 4-for-4 to improve his batting average to .411.

Ben Rice hit Bibee’s first pitch out of the park, but the Cleveland ace settled down. The only other Yankee run came on a sacrifice fly by Jazz Chisholm in the sixth inning.

FLIPPING THE SCRIPT

The Guardians wiped out the Yankees’ 2-0 lead with three runs in the sixth inning. Mark Leiter Jr. threw a wild pitch. Steven Kwan, who was stealing third, raced all the way home.

Kyle Manzardo tied the game with a double to score Nolan Jones. Angel Martinez drove in Manzardo with an infield single to give the Guardians a 3-2 lead.

Then it was time for the bullpen to do its thing without Clase. Tim Herrin, Hunter Gaddis, and Smith shut down the Yankees with one scoreless inning each.

GRAB THE BROOM?

Cleveland won a series from the Yankees for the first time in six years. The Guardians will go for the sweep today at 1:10 p.m.

Luis Ortiz (2-2) will start for the Guardians, while New York will counter with Carlos Rodon (2-3).