New York Yankees reach first MLB World Series in 15 years after surviving Cleveland Guardians scare

The New York Yankees’ acquisition of Juan Soto came with a lot of risks. New York gave up five pieces to the San Diego Padres to acquire the slugger, whose contract expires this season.

There was no guarantee he would stay. There’s still no guarantee he’ll stay. All Yankees fans could reasonably hope for is that the slugger could provide enough moments in one season to last a lifetime.

If that was his job, consider it done.

Soto’s three-run explosion off Cleveland Guardians reliever Hunter Gaddis won New York its first American League pennant since 2009 and sent the Yankees to the World Series for the first time in 15 years.

We now wait for the winner of the National League Championship Series. They will either play their ancestral rivals – the Los Angeles Dodgers – or there will be a second Subway Series this century against the New York Mets.

Luke Weaver, who entered the game in the ninth inning and stayed for the tenth inning, was credited with the win for the Yankees.

As for the Guardians, their pursuit of their first World Series since 1948 will continue. Gaddis was credited with the loss.

Soto wasn’t just the man who secured the victory, he was the one who got the final out – running into the infield as his Yankee teammates rushed out of the dugout to celebrate their achievement.

For his heroics throughout the series – in which he hit four home runs – Giancarlo Stanton was named MVP of the ALCS.

The Yankees’ bats started well in the first inning with a hit by second baseman Gleyber Torres and a double by Soto. But Torres was sent home on Soto’s hit, and a perfectly accurate throw from Guardians second baseman Andres Gimenez beat the runner and he was tagged out.

Cleveland starter Tanner Bibee then loaded the bases by plundering outfielder Aaron Judge and third baseman Jazz Chisholm, but got out of the inning untouched by forcing New York first baseman Anthony Rizzo into a lineout.

The Yankees were then retired in order for the next four straight innings in an impressive performance by Bibee – which included four strikeouts from innings two through five.

During that time, Cleveland scored when catcher Bo Naylor drilled a double that sent home his brother — first baseman Josh Naylor — for a 1-0 lead.

But the Yankees were relatively alive thanks to strong pitching from starter Carlos Rodon. Although he gave up two hits in the first four innings, he kept the team in the game.

That was until he gave up a double to Gimenez in the bottom of the fifth. Down to their final out of the inning, the Guardians sent up outfielder Steven Kwan, who singled to score Gimenez and make it a 2-0 lead.

Hopes were low for Yankees fans after their offensive performance was fruitless until the sixth inning. Torres singled in the top of the sixth inning and Soto immediately picked up a single of his own, but a ground ball by Judge led to a double play, putting New York on its heels again.

Giancarlo Stanton resigned. The slugger fell into an 0-2 hole early in the at bat, but worked it out to a full count.

Bibee’s sixth pitch was center-center. Stanton hooked it and sent it 450 feet deep into left-center field. After six innings of hand-wringing, the Yankees had tied the game at 2-2.

The chess match continued – with neither side able to capitalize on their chances in innings seven and eight.

Emmanuel Clase – who gave up back-to-back home runs in Game 3 and the go-ahead run in Game 4 – took the bump in the top of the ninth inning hoping he could put the mistakes of the previous two nights behind him.

He dismissed Judge and Stanton before giving up a single to Chisholm, who had only two hits in the series. Fortunately for Clase, he emerged from the inning unscathed after pinch hitter Oswaldo Cabrera tapped a grounder back to Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio to end the top of the ninth.

We went into the bottom of the ninth. Luke Weaver, who netted the equalizer in Game 3, looked for his own brand of redemption against the bottom of the Guardians lineup. He retired the side in a row, forcing extra innings for the second time in this championship series.

Hunter Gaddis took the mound for Cleveland in the top of the 10th and retired Volpe with a lineout before walking catcher Austin Wells. Alex Verdugo rolled what should have been a double play ball up the middle, but Rocchio bobbled the ball in transition and both runners were left safe.

After dispatching Torres, Soto resigned. The outfielder went 1-2 before fouling three consecutive pitches. He took the seventh pitch deep to center field and over the wall for a three-run home run to take a 5–2 lead.

It’s Cleveland’s turn. Weaver stayed in and managed to get Kwan to ground out. Kyle Mandzardo put a ball through the gap between the shortstop and third base to reach base. Jose Ramirez, the usually reliable hitter who had been silenced all night, hit a fly ball to Judge in center.

The last hope rested on Lane Thomas. After tying the score at 1-2, Thomas threw the ball to right field. After being the one to take the lead, it was only fitting that Soto was the one to take the finals and send the Yankees to their first Fall Classic in 15 years.

For a team that is burdened with expectations every year, there were plenty of opportunities to question the Yankees this season.

Now they have the opportunity to add a 28th banner in The Bronx, which would only increase their standing in the baseball world.