CLEVELAND — In a dramatic turn of events, Cleveland’s All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase struggled in the final inning, leading to the New York Yankees clinching an 8-6 victory over the Guardians on Friday night. With this victory, the Yankees now have a commanding 3-1 lead in the American League Championship Series, putting them closer to their next World Series appearance.
Gleyber Torres contributed significantly to the Yankees’ success with a crucial RBI single. The turning point came when the Guardians’ shortstop Brayan Rocchio mishandled a grounder from Alex Verdugo, allowing New York to take the lead. Clase, who had been regarded as one of the best relief pitchers in baseball throughout the season, had a rough outing for the second consecutive game, yielding two runs in the ninth inning.
The Yankees managed to collect three singles in the ninth inning off the right-handed pitcher, adding to Clase’s woes from the previous night. Despite a tumultuous eighth inning in Game 3, where he allowed two home runs, Clase had been able to escape that game unscathed due to the Guardians hitting two late two-run homers. In this game, however, it was a different story.
Giancarlo Stanton delivered a powerful three-run homer for the Yankees, while Juan Soto also added a two-run blast. With a potential Game 5 victory on Saturday, New York could secure its 41st World Series appearance, a significant achievement for the franchise.
On the other hand, the Guardians are now facing a tough elimination scenario in the postseason for the second time this year. They had previously shown resilience in the ALDS by overcoming the Detroit Tigers, but now must win three consecutive games, including two at the notoriously challenging Yankee Stadium, to break their 76-year drought without a World Series title.
Once again, New York’s bullpen found itself in a precarious situation late in the game. After the Guardians managed to score three runs in the seventh inning and one in the eighth, they posed a threat in the ninth by placing two runners on base. Yankees manager Aaron Boone decided to bring in Tommy Kahnle to secure the final outs, and he succeeded where the bullpen had faltered the previous night.
Regarding team updates, the Yankees have made a roster change due to RHP Ian Hamilton’s severe calf injury sustained while covering first base in Game 3; he has been replaced by Mark Leiter Jr. Boone addressed the situation, mentioning his considerations for bringing in left-handed pitcher Nestor Torres but ultimately wanting to ensure Torres has adequate recovery time from an elbow strain.
Looking ahead, the Yankees will send left-handed pitcher Carlos Rodón to the mound for his second start of the series. Rodón had an impressive performance in Game 1, where he allowed just one run on three hits and struck out nine batters over six innings. He is set to face Tanner Bibee from the Guardians, who, after a short outing in Game 2, will be pitching on three days’ rest.