No amount of Yankee heroics could be enough to stop the Cleveland Guardians from getting at least one game back 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 took Game 3 of the ALCS from the New York Yankees with a 7-5 win.
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 that was extended to 5-3 the following inning.
But it was pinch hitter Jhonkensy Noel that tied the game with a colossal two-run home run 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 socked a two-run blast in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings
There, David Fry hit a two-run homer of his own 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 charged with the blown save.
New York took the initial lead of the game after catcher Jose Trevino ripped a single to right field scoring shortstop Anthony Volpe for the 1-0 lead. But that same inning, the baserunning issues that plagued the Yankees in the past caught up to them again when Trevino was picked off trying to steal second.
But after that second inning, the Yankees started on a horrible trend of being retired in order for four straight innings in an awful 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 tacked on a third in the bottom of the sixth inning when second baseman Andres Gimenez 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 hitting catcher Austin Wells struck out swinging and second baseman Gleyber Torres grounded out.
Up came the heart of the Yankees lineup in spots two through four: sluggers Juan Soto, Aaron Judge, and Giancarlo Stanton.
Soto worked a walk out of 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 up until this series.
Yankees slugger Aaron Judge tied the game with a clutch home run in the eighth inning
Giancarlo Stanton responded in kind on the very next at bat to take the lead for New York
When the Yankees needed him the most, Judge delivered with a line drive shot that just stayed up high enough to clear the right field fence and tie up the game at 3-3.
Next was Stanton, who worked a seven-pitch outing where he knocked his own shot out of the park to center field and gave the Yankees the lead at 4-3.
New York would extend their advantage to 5-3 in the top of the ninth when Torres popped up a sacrifice fly to center field – scoring Volpe from third.
Yankees closer Luke Weaver came out in the bottom of the ninth, hoping to work a four-out save and give New York a 3-0 lead in the series.
He started off well after a fielding error from Anthony Rizzo by turning a double play and putting the Guardians on their heels.
Thomas stepped up and knocked a double to center which brought up the man that Guardians fans call ‘Big Christmas’ – Jhonkensey Noel. After taking a first-pitch ball, he barreled up the second pitch and sent it deep to left center field tying up the game.
Yankees pitcher Luke Weaver watches Jhonkensey Noel’s home run fly over the wall
Off to extra innings the contest went and the Yankees weren’t able to capitalize.
Judge struck out looking and Stanton was walked before Jazz Chisholm was ruled out on a controversial run to first that saw Josh Naylor graze the top of the bag as he was catching the ball. The Yankees chose not to challenge the play.
After Rizzo was intentionally walked, Volpe was struck out to flip the inning to the Guardians half.
Bo Naylor jumped on the first pitch that he saw from Clay Holmes – sending it up the first baseline before making his way around to third base on a sacrifice by shortstop Brayan Rocchio and a grounder by left fielder Steven Kwan.
The Guardians were down to their final strike on a 1-2 count to pinch hitter David Fry, who took a sinker from Holmes over the left center field fence to send Cleveland into rapture.
Game 4 is Friday night. The Yankees will hope for Luis Gil to lead them to a win and a 3-1 series lead while the Guardians turn to Gavin Williams in the hope they can even the ALCS.
