The Yankees are going back to the American League Championship Series. In Game 4
of the ALDS, New York defeated the Kansas City Royals 3-1, to take the series 3-games-to-1, and clinch their second ALCS appearance in the last three years.
Once again, the Yankees are four wins away from returning to the World Series for the first time since 2009.
“But you get to this point, now we’ll be down to the final four.” Yankees manager Aaron
Boone said after the game. “Everyone is feeling pretty good about their teams. That’s the case for me.”
Gerrit Cole was the star of the show for the Yankees, tossing seven innings of one-run ball. He allowed only one run on six hits to go along with four strikeouts. After struggling in game
one, Cole was thrilled in his ability to rise to the occasion and help his team clinch a spot in the ALCS.
“It means a lot.” Cole said. “It was a big game. It was a fun game. It was a great battle.
Just a great battle. Fun to be part of.”
The losing pitcher for the Royals was Michael Wacha, who also got the start. Wacha allowed two runs on six hits. Luke Weaver recorded his third save of the playoffs.
The Yankees wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, as on the first pitch of the game, Gleyber Torres roped a double, which, two pitches later, was followed up by a Juan Soto RBI
single that gave the Yankees a 1-0 lead before they even recorded an out.
The score would remain 1-0 until the top of the fifth, when Torres drove in Anthony Volpe on a two on, two out single to double the Yankees lead. One inning later, the Yankees added another as the red hot Giancarlo Stanton drove a ball 117 miles per hour into center field, which scored Aaron Judge, and gave the Yankees a 3-0 lead.
After a double play in the bottom half of the sixth caused both benches to clear, cooler heads prevailed, and the Royals added their only run of the contest on a Vinnie Pasquantino double that scored Bobby Witt Jr. However, that was the only scoring of the ballgame, as the Yankees held on to win 3-1.
The ALCS will begin on Monday night with the Yankees taking on either the Detroit
Tigers or Cleveland Guardians.
