No amount of Yankee heroics could be enough to prevent the Cleveland Guardians from regaining at least one game in the American League Championship Series. In fact, they needed some heroics of their own.
In a wild back-and-forth contest that required the intensity of extra innings, the Guardians won Game 3 of the American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees with a 7-5 victory.
Cleveland took a 3-1 lead in the game before allowing consecutive home runs to Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, giving the Yankees a 4-3 lead in the top of the eighth that extended to 5-3 in the next. entrance. .
But it was pinch-hitter Jhonkensy Noel who tied the game with a colossal two-run homer that forced extra innings.
There, in the bottom of the tenth, with a runner on third base, David Fry launched a 399-foot blast to give Cleveland the victory.
Jhonkensey Noel hit a two-run blast in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings.
There, David Fry hit a two-run homer to win Game 3 for the Guardians on Thursday.
Cleveland’s Pedro Avila was credited with the win, while the Yankees’ Clay Holmes was responsible for the loss and Luke Weaver was responsible for the blown save.
New York took the early lead of the game after catcher José Treviño singled to right field and scored shortstop Anthony Volpe for the 1-0 lead. But in that same inning, the baserunning problems that plagued the Yankees in the past caught up with them again when Treviño was intercepted trying to steal second.
But after that second inning, the Yankees began a horrible trend of being retired in order for four consecutive innings in a terrible hitting display.
Cleveland got its first runs of the night in the bottom of the third, when designated hitter Kyle Manzardo drove Yankees starter Clark Schmidt over the wall for a two-run blast and a 2-1 lead. .
They added a third in the bottom of the sixth inning when second baseman Andrés Giménez hit an RBI single to center that brought center fielder Lane Thomas home from third base.
In the top of the eighth, the Yankees were down to their final out after pinch-hit catcher Austin Wells struck out swinging and second baseman Gleyber Torres grounded out.
The heart of the Yankees lineup appeared in spots two through four: sluggers Juan Soto, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton.
Soto drew a walk off Cleveland pitcher Hunter Gaddis before Cleveland sent in its elite closer Emmanuel Clase. The Yankees mentioned Judge, who had struggled to perform in the postseason until this series.
Yankees slugger Aaron Judge tied the game with a decisive home run in the eighth inning.
Giancarlo Stanton responded in kind in the next at-bat to take the lead for New York.
When the Yankees needed him most, Judge delivered with a line drive that stayed high enough to clear the right field fence and tie the game at 3-3.
Next up was Stanton, who turned in a seven-pitch outing in which he hit his own shot from the park to center field and gave the Yankees a 4-3 lead.
New York would extend its lead to 5-3 in the top of the ninth when Torres hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Volpe from third.
Yankees closer Luke Weaver came out in the bottom of the ninth, hoping to make a four-out save and give New York a 3-0 series lead.
It started well after a fielding error by Anthony Rizzo when he turned a double play and put the Guardians on their heels.
Thomas stepped up and hit a double to center that took out the man Guardians fans call “Big Christmas”: Jhonkensey Noel. After receiving a first pitch, he threw out the second pitch and sent it deep to left center field, tying the game.
Yankees pitcher Luke Weaver watches Jhonkensey Noel’s home run fly over the wall.
The competition went to extra innings and the Yankees were unable to capitalize.
Judge struck out looking and Stanton walked before Jazz Chisholm was thrown out on a controversial run to first that saw Josh Naylor brush the top of the bag while catching the ball. The Yankees chose not to challenge the play.
After Rizzo was intentionally walked, Volpe struck out to move the inning into the Guardians’ half.
Bo Naylor jumped on the first pitch he saw from Clay Holmes, sending it all the way to the first base line before reaching third base on a sacrifice by shortstop Brayan Rocchio and a groundout by left fielder Steven Kwan.
The Guardians were down to their last strike with a 1-2 count for pinch-hitter David Fry, who took a sinker from Holmes over the left-center field fence to send Cleveland into raptures.
Game four is Friday night. The Yankees will hope Luis Gil leads them to a victory and a 3-1 series lead, while the Guardians turn to Gavin Williams in hopes of tying the American League Championship Series.