No amount of Yankee heroics could be enough to keep the Cleveland Guardians from regaining at least one game in the American League Championship Series. In fact, they needed their own heroics.
In a wild, back-and-forth match that required the intensity of extra innings, the Guardians won Game 3 of the ALCS against the New York Yankees with a 7-5 victory.
Cleveland took a 3–1 lead in the game before surrendering back-to-back home runs to Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, giving the Yankees a 4–3 lead in the top of the eighth inning, which was extended to 5 the following inning -3. .
But it was pinch hitter Jhonkensy Noel who tied the game with a whopping two-run home run that forced extra innings.
There, in the bottom of the 10th, with a runner on third base, David Fry launched a 300-foot blast to give Cleveland the win.
Jhonkensey Noel hit a two-run blast in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings
There, David Fry himself hit a two-run homer to win Game 3 for the Guardians on Thursday
Cleveland’s Pedro Avila was credited with the win, the Yankees’ Clay Holmes was responsible for the loss and Luke Weaver was blamed for the botched save.
New York took the game’s initial lead after catcher Jose Trevino ripped a single to right field and shortstop Anthony Volpe scored for the 1-0 lead. But that same inning, the baserunning problems that have plagued the Yankees in the past caught up with them again when Trevino was thrown out trying to steal second.
But after that second inning, the Yankees began a terrible trend of being shut out for four consecutive innings in a terrible batting display.
Cleveland got their first runs of the night in the bottom of the third – when designated hitter Kyle Manzardo took Yankees starter Clark Schmidt over the wall for a two-run blast and a 2-1 lead.
They scored a third base in the bottom of the sixth inning when second baseman Andres Gimenez hit an RBI single to center that brought home center fielder Lane Thomas from third base.
In the top of the eighth, the Yankees reached their final out when pinch hitting catcher Austin Wells struck out swinging and second baseman Gleyber Torres grounded out.
At positions two through four, the heart of the Yankees lineup emerged: sluggers Juan Soto, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton.
Soto worked a walk for Cleveland pitcher Hunter Gaddis before Cleveland sent in their elite closer Emmanuel Clase. The Yankees brought up Judge, who had struggled to perform in the postseason until this series.
Yankees slugger Aaron Judge tied the game with a home run in the eighth inning
Giancarlo Stanton responded in kind the next at bat to take the lead for New York
When the Yankees needed him most, Judge delivered a line drive shot that stayed just high enough to avoid the right field fence and tie the game at 3-3.
Next up was Stanton, who made a seven-pitch performance, hitting his own shot out of the park into center field to put the Yankees ahead 4-3.
New York would extend their lead to 5-3 in the top of the ninth when Torres made a sacrifice fly to center field and Volpe scored 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 lead in the series.
He got off to a good start after an Anthony Rizzo fielding error by turning a double play and putting the Guardians on their heels.
Thomas stepped up and hit a double to center, hitting the man Guardians fans call “Big Christmas”: Jhonkensey Noel. After taking a ball from the first pitch, he lofted the second pitch and sent it deep to left-center field, tying the game.
Yankees pitcher Luke Weaver watches as Jhonkensey Noel’s home run flies over the wall
The game continued into overtime and the Yankees were unable to capitalize.
The righty struck out and Stanton walked before Jazz Chisholm was ejected after a controversial run to first, with Josh Naylor grazing the top of the bag as he caught the ball. The Yankees chose not to challenge the game.
After Rizzo was walked intentionally, Volpe struck out, turning the inning into the Guardians’ half.
Bo Naylor jumped on the first pitch he saw from Clay Holmes and sent it toward the first base line before heading to third base on a sacrifice by shortstop Brayan Rocchio and a grounder by left fielder Steven Kwan.
The Guardians got their final shot on a 1-2 strike to pinch hitter David Fry, who took a Holmes sinker over the left center field fence to thrill Cleveland.
Game 4 is Friday night. The Yankees 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 ALCS.