After last night’s back-and-forth dramatics, you could forgive fans of the New York Yankees and the Cleveland Guardians for raised heartrates, baited breath, and feelings of dread.
Those hoping for an easier night on the heart did not see their wishes granted as the Yankees once again watched a lead slip through their fingers late in the ballgame.
But unlike Game 3 of the American League Championship Series, the Yankees had time to recover – and recover they did, with Alex Verdugo driving in the winning run and Gleyber Torres tacking on some insurance in the top of the ninth to win Game 4 8-6 in Cleveland.
The Bronx Bombers are now one win away from their first World Series appearance since 2009.
They would face the winner of the National League Championship Series between the New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers – which saw Game 5 of their series punctuated by home runs late in the afternoon on Friday.
The New York Yankees are now one win away from reaching the World Series
But in the ALCS, it was Mark Leiter Jr – a pitcher who was only just called up to the team today following an injury to reliever Ian Hamilton in Game 3 – earned the win for the Yankees.
Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase was credited with the loss after a second consecutive night where he gave up crucial Yankee runs.
The Yankees started off strong with a two-run blast off the bat of outfielder Juan Soto – who took starter Gavin Williams deep to center field in the top of the first inning.
Cleveland responded that same inning when third baseman Jose Ramirez sent outfielder Steven Kwan home from third base to make it a 2-1 ballgame.
New York responded in the second inning with a solo blast from catcher Austin Wells to center field. The Guardians kept within touching distance with an RBI single from Josh Naylor in the bottom of the third to make it 3-2.
There the score stayed through two more innings – raising the temperature of the situation inside Progressive Field in Ohio.
New York thought they finally found their breakthrough in the top of the sixth when the heart of their lineup came to the plate.
Cleveland reliever Cade Smith walked Soto and then surrendered a single to Judge. After Jazz Chisholm advanced the runners on a sacrifice bunt, designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton took Smith 404 feet deep to left center field and made it a 6-2 ball game.
Yankees slugger Juan Soto flips his bat after smacking a home run in the first inning
Giancarlo Stanton tosses his bat toward the Yankees dugout after hitting a home run
Even then, there were nerves for fans of the Yankees. Sloppy infield play led to plenty of close calls as Cleveland began to get back into the game.
Clay Holmes, who gave up the game winning home run to David Fry the night before, was called in with runners on first and third in the bottom of the seventh.
Holmes couldn’t keep it together – surrendering three runs on back-to-back doubles by Ramirez and Josh Naylor to make it 6-5.
Leiter came in and managed the final two outs to get the Yankees out of the seventh with the lead – barely.
He stayed in for the eighth and gave up a double to Bo Naylor in the first at-bat. Naylor then advanced to third on a groundout before Kwan popped out – leaving Cleveland down to their final out.
What followed was possibly the most comedic way that the Yankees could have given up the game-tying run. Up stepped Game 3 hero Fry, who knocked a pitch back to Leiter. As the pitcher tried to corral the ball, it went in and out of his glove – rolling toward the first base line.
Leiter scooped the ball up and tried to underhand toss it to first baseman Anthony Rizzo – who bungled the catch and watched it dribble through his legs. Fry ran to second. Naylor came home. 6-6 ballgame.
Hits by Jose Ramirez (L) and Josh Naylor (R) in the seventh brought the game to within a run
David Fry, the hero of Game 3, tied this ballgame after his hit forced an error from the Yankees
Leiter’s work wasn’t done after the Yankees chose to walk Ramirez – putting runners on first and second with Josh Naylor up to bat.
On a 2-2 count, Naylor swung and missed – briefly stopping the onslaught as the game moved to the ninth inning.
In stepped Clase, hoping to avenge the demons that led him to giving up back-to-back home runs the night before.
Unfortunately for him, those demons weren’t quite exorcised. After Rizzo hit a single, Jon Berti came in to pinch run. Shortstop Anthony Volpe knocked through a single of his own (moving Berti to third) before stealing second and putting two runners in scoring position.
Wells struck out, but nine-hole hitter Alex Verdugo swung at the first pitch he saw and rolled a weak grounder through the infield grass toward Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio.
He couldn’t handle the transition to make the throw over to first as the ball fell to the ground. Berti scored, Volpe moved to third, Verdugo was safe, and the Yankees led the game again 7-6.
Back to the top of the order came Gleyber Torres. Down to his final strike, he put the barrel to the ball and knocked through a single – bringing home Volpe and extending the lead to 8-6 in the top of the ninth.
Mark Leiter Jr. bent, but didn’t break, only surrendering one run en route to a victory
Yankees pitcher Tommy Khanle was credited with the save in New York’s Game 4 victory
That’s where the Yankees half of the inning ended. Now it was Cleveland’s turn for heroics with Tommy Khanle on the bump for New York.
After Lane Thomas struck out looking, Jhonkensy Noel – who tied the game in the bottom of the ninth the night prior – was walked. Noel then moved up to second after a single from Andres Gimenez.
But the magic stopped there. Naylor flied out to center field and Rocchio was tossed out at first (despite a near-error from Berti at second base) to seal the dramatic victory for the Yankees.
New York could advance to the World Series with a victory in Game 5 – which takes place tomorrow in Cleveland. Carlos Rodon is set to take the mound for the Yankees while the Guardians will put their season’s hope on the shoulders of starter Tanner Bibee.
