The Yankees looked to be on their way to an all-time classic win, highlighted by Aaron Judge’s long-awaited big playoff moment, that would have helped put the Bombers on the brink of their first pennant in 15 years.
Instead, they were on the losing end of an instant classic, one that potentially saved the Guardians season.
Down 3-1 in the eighth and facing the best closer in the league all season in Emmanuel Clase, Judge laced a game-tying two-run home run to right in his most clutch October moment yet. Giancarlo Stanton was the next batter and took Clase deep to dead center, suddenly giving the Yanks the lead, which would become 5-3 after Gleyber Torres added a sac fly in the ninth.
Luke Weaver forced Josh Naylor into a double play in the ninth to move within one out of a 3-1 series lead, but a Lane Thomas double and a pinch-hit home run by Jhonkensy Noel tied the game. Cleveland would win in the 10th on a walk-off home run by David Fry with two outs in the frame.
Now, the Yanks are left to pick up the pieces and try to retake control of the series 24 hours after being dealt a brutal dose of heartbreak.
“The other team is good too,” Aaron Boone said. “Credit to them…they really scratched and clawed their way back in.
“Sucks losing like that obviously, but kind of a classic game. We'll be ready to roll tomorrow.”
The Yanks had the lead with their vaunted bullpen ready to lock it down, but for the second straight game, Weaver allowed a home run, this one proving to be a lot more costly. Then, Clay Holmes surrendered the game winner in what was his first time allowing an earned run in the postseason.
Asked if he believed the game was locked down with Weaver on the mound and two outs in the ninth, Boone could only scoff, pointing to the improbability of the Yanks grabbing the lead in the first place.
“Come on. No,” Boone said. “‘Got this in the bag.’ Stop it with that. it’s the playoffs, man. You hit tying home runs and go-ahead homers, that’s what it looks like. You never have anything in the bag in the playoffs, no. You never take anything for granted.”
The Yanks will also not take time to dwell on the loss after coming oh-so close to all but sending the Guardians home, as a quick turnaround awaits for game four, when New York will have another chance to move to the brink of advancing.
“There’s still a lot of confidence in the guys here,” Holmes said. “We’ve taken blows all year long. There’s no doubt that we can overcome this and bounce back. This is a resilient group of guys…I have a lot of confidence that we can come out here tomorrow and bounce back.”
That was the sentiment in the locker room after what was arguably the most exciting, up-and-down game of the postseason, even if it was the Yankees on the losing end of what was so close to being their most thrilling playoff win in years.
“Lot of ups and downs, just like the regular season,” Judge said. “They were able to come away with the last big swing. Time to move on to the next game.
“I wish we were on the other end of it…now we focus on game four.”