Pinch-hitter Lane Thomas came through in the clutch with a tiebreaking double, igniting a six-run 12th inning for the Cleveland Guardians in a marathon game against the New York Yankees. The Guardians secured a 9-5 victory in the longest major league game of the season so far.
Juan Soto and Aaron Judge kicked off the game with back-to-back home runs, setting the tone for a competitive matchup between two first-place teams at Yankee Stadium. The game remained tied at 3 apiece after four innings, with both teams missing scoring opportunities until the 12th inning breakthrough.
Thomas, batting just .113 for the season, delivered a crucial hit off left-hander Tim Mayza to drive in the go-ahead run. The Guardians then piled on the runs, with key hits from Jose Ramírez, Tyler Freeman, and David Fry, securing a comfortable lead.
Cleveland’s rookie Jhonkensy Noel added an additional RBI, while the Guardians’ pitching staff, including Emmanuel Clase and Tim Herrin, held off the Yankees’ offense in the extra innings. Despite the Yankees’ efforts, which included a two-run double from Judge, they fell short in the end.
The game lasted a grueling 4 hours and 5 minutes, with both teams setting records for walks issued in a single game. The Guardians drew 14 walks for the first time since 1979, while the Yankees issued 14 walks for the first time since 1993. Cleveland capitalized on their opportunities, pulling ahead in the AL Central race.
Manager Aaron Boone expressed disappointment in the Yankees’ offensive struggles, emphasizing the need to improve their performance with runners in scoring position. The loss pushed the Yankees half a game behind the Orioles in the AL East standings.
Looking ahead, the Yankees’ Nestor Cortes will aim to secure consecutive wins, while Cleveland decides on their starting pitcher for the upcoming game.
In the injury report, the Guardians hope to see the return of RHP Alex Cobb, while the Yankees continue to make progress with various players on the road to recovery.
