News

(10-19-24)

Juan Soto’s 3-run homer off Hunter Gaddis in the top of the 10th inning lifted the Yankees to a 5-2 victory over the Guardians at Progressive Field and into the World Series.

Cleveland took a 2-0 lead into the 6th inning thanks to RBI hits from Bo Naylor and Steven Kwan.

But with 2 outs and 1 on in the top of the 6th, rookie manager Stephen Vogt left starter Tanner Bibee in to pitch to Giancarlo Stanton and the Yanks DH made Cleveland pay by hitting a 446 foot home run to tie the game at 2-2. It was Stanton’s 4th homer in the ALCS.

It stayed that way until the top of the 10th, when a walk by Gaddis and an error on shortstop Brayan Rocchio helped set the stage for Soto to come to the plate with 2 on and 2 out.  The Yankees right fielder hit the 7th pitch he saw from Gaddis, a 95 mile an hour fastball over the center field wall for the game winner.

Gaddis took the loss, while Luke Weaver picked up the “W”.

With the victory, New York takes the American League Championship Series 4 games to 1 and moves on to the World Series for the first time since they won it in 2009.

The Bronx Bombers will play the winner of the NLCS between the Dodgers and Mets. Currently LA leads that series 3 games to 2. Game 6 is Sunday in Hollywood.

For the Guardians, their season comes to an end and their Championship wait continues, as Cleveland has not won a World Series since October 11, 1948, the longest current drought in Major League Baseball.