With two outs in the ninth and 10th innings, Johnsky Noel and David Fry of the Cleveland Guardians hit two-run home runs to stun the Yankees 7-5 in Game 3 of the ALCS on Thursday night at Progressive Field.
In what will be looked upon as one of the greatest postseason games in Guardians history, Cleveland was able to avoid going down 3-0 in the series, and will now look to even the ALCS on Friday night.
With the Yankees leading 5-3 on the heels of improbable back-to-back home runs by Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton in the eighth off Cleveland star close Emmanuel Clase, the Guardians struck back. With one on and two outs in the bottom of the ninth following a Lane Thomas double, Noel took closer Luke Weaver deep and out of the park to left field to tie it
In the bottom of the 10th, Fry sent the Cleveland fans home happy with a no-doubter to left off Clay Holmes — the former Yankees closer who lost his role amid late-season struggles.
The Yankees struck first in the second inning off Cleveland starter Matthew Boyd, who didn’t even make his first start of the year until August.
A walk by Anthony Volpe followed by a double by Alex Verdugo set up an RBI single by Jose Trevino, putting runners on first and third with only one out.
But the Yankees once again ran themselves into trouble, with Trevino getting picked off at first. Immediately following the blunder, Gleyber Torres flew out to left, and the Yankees took just a one-run lead into the bottom of the second inning.
The run that the Yankees were unable to bring home came back to bite them almost immediately, as after Brayan Rocchio singled, Guardians rookie Kyle Manzardo deposited a go ahead two run homer 395 feet into the right field seats to give the hosts their first lead of the ALCS.
Those runs ended up as the only runs through the first six innings of the game.
Boyd became the first Guardian of the ALCS to get through five innings, and he did it in style, retiring the final 10 Yankees he faced. Boyd finished the game in line for the win, allowing only one run on two hits to go along with four strikeouts and three walks.
After pitching 4.2 innings, the Yankees pulled starter Clarke Schmidt, who allowed two runs on five hits while striking out two and walking two.
After reliever Tim Hill recorded the final out of the fifth inning, Ian Hamilton entered to start the sixth. He walked Thomas to start the inning before allowing him to advance on a fielders choice. On the play at first, Hamilton seemed to have injured his leg, which forced him to exit the game. Tim Mayza replaced him, Thomas stole third and was driven in on an Andres Gimenez single, giving the Guardians a 3-1 advantage.
The lead held until the top of the eighth, when the Yankees bombers picked the team off the mat. Hunter Gattis got the first two outs of the inning, he allowed Juan Soto to walk before being replaced by Clase to face Judge. After falling behind 1-2, Judge pulled a 99 mile per hour cutter that just got over the right field wall to tie the game.
One batter later, Stanton sent a solo shot of his own over the center field wall. Just like that the Yankees took a 4-3 lead. Clase, who allowed only two home runs during the regular season, allowed back to back to the Yankees sluggers.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Guardians were able to get two runners on, off of a Will Brennan double and a Steve Kwan walk. But the Yankees brought on Weaver, who was able to keep the Guardians off the board. In the top of the ninth, the Yankees added an insurance run on a sacrifice fly by Gleyber Torres.
The Yankees lead the series 2-1, but the Guardians will look to tie the series tomorrow.
