2024-10-19 09:20:03
CLEVELAND – Some of the biggest parts of Aaron Boone’s bullpen were operating on fumes Friday night, and the Yankees were trying to avoid using closer Luke Weaver due to a heavy playoff workload.
A comfortable-seeming four-run Yankees lead in AL Championship Series Game 4 became a one-run advantage in the seventh, and a tie game in the eighth.
Weaver began warming up in the ninth with one out, when Tommy Kahnle – faced with Cleveland Guardians on first and second and one out – recorded the biggest save of his career.
Boone’s club is now one victory away from the Yankees’ first trip to the World Series since 2009, following an 8-6 win before 35,263 fans at Progressive Field.
And once more, Giancarlo Stanton silenced the Cleveland crowd, smashing a three-run homer in the sixth that extended what was – at the time – a narrow Yankee lead in this best-of-seven.
Juan Soto hit a two-run homer in the first inning, as the Yanks tried to regain momentum after Thursday night’s devastating, late loss to the Guardians.
Carlos Rodon takes the mound in ALCS Game 5 for the Yankees here Saturday night, with the Yankees closing in on a pennant.
Here’s our analysis of the Yankees’ Game 4 victory.
Luke Weaver is warming up with one out in the ninth, runners at first and second.
Ninth inning and it’s Kahnle’s job to get the Yankees’ final three outs in an 8-6 game. There’s a new right side of the infield, with Berti at first and Oswaldo Cabrera at second, after pinch-running for Rizzo and Torres.
It’s now 8-6, Yanks, in the ninth.
That’s two runs off Clase, who gives up a Verdugo squib (which would have scored Berti from third base regardless) but shortstop Brayan Rocchio bobbled it for an error.
Volpe had stolen second after his single, and now he scores on a sharp Gleyber Torres single to center.
Emmanuel Clase has not been the same, brilliant closer in postseason as he was in the regular season.
And now, the Yanks have opened the ninth with runners in scoring position. Rizzo singles, and pinch-runner Jon Berti takes third on a Volpe single.
After Mark Leiter Jr. got the dangerous Steven Kwan to pop out with a runner at third and one out, well you’ll be watching this next play on replay loops for a while.
Leiter Jr. couldn’t cleanly field David Fry’s comebacker, scrambled after the ball and flipped low to Anthony Rizzo at first, who couldn’t grab it. We’re tied 6-6 in the eighth.
Somehow, Fry was credited with a hit. Error to Leiter Jr. for allowing Fry to take second.
Intentional walk to Jose Ramirez, and Leiter Jr. prevents the go-ahead run from scoring by striking out Josh Naylor to end the inning. Here comes Emmanuel Clase for the ninth, all tied at 6-6.
Kahnle might have been Boone’s choice tonight to be the closer, but the save chance could come sooner than the Yanks would have liked.
Against Mark Leiter Jr. Bo Naylor doubled to open the eighth, moved to third on a groundout, and Kahnle is warming up.
Still 6-5, Yanks. Infield in, and Kwan now facing Leiter Jr., after a mound visit.
That’s the opportunity for Mark Leiter Jr., just added to the Yanks’ bullpen today for the injured Ian Hamilton. And he’s to face pinch-hitter Jhonkensy Noel, who blasted that game-tying ninth inning homer off Weaver in Game 3…
…and Leiter Jr. holds the one-run lead, but – wow.
Noel just missed another dramatic homer that would have put Cleveland up by two runs, sending a hanging slider to the deepest corner of left field, where Verdugo caught it.
Leiter Jr. then struck out Andres Gimenez on a sharp 2-2 splitter, preserving the Yanks’ 6-5 lead entering the eighth.
Holmes won the rematch against David Fry, striking him out looking at a sweeper. But consecutive sharp doubles by Jose Ramirez (RBI) and Josh Naylor (2 RBI) have cut the lead to 6-5 with one out in the seventh.
And with a compromised Yankee bullpen (probably staying away from Kahnle and Weaver due to workload) here comes…Mark Leiter Jr. with the tying run at second base and the go-ahead run at first.
With nine outs to go, Yanks up 6-2 in the seventh, Aaron Boone wanted to get as much as he could out of Jake Cousins (who pitched a scoreless sixth) before using any of the big guys.
Well, Cousins has put runners at the corners to open the seventh, and here is Clay Holmes, with the Yanks still needing those nine outs to seal Game 4.
And who will Holmes face first? None other than David Fry, last night’s walk-off home run hero vs. Holmes.
Another huge home run by Giancarlo Stanton, this time a three-run shot off Cade Smith to increase the Yankees’ lead to 6-2 in the sixth.
There was a Soto walk, a Judge single, and a Jazz Chisholm Jr. sacrifice bunt (did you wonder about a walk with first base open?) before Stanton crushed a 1-2 fastball, 404 feet to left.
Third homer of the ALCS, fourth of this postseason for Stanton. Your leader in the clubhouse for ALCS MVP. Here comes Jake Cousins now to pitch for the Yanks, 12 outs to go.
Jettisoned from the historically awful Chicago White Sox in June, Tim Hill has been a valuable addition to the Yanks’ bullpen – proving it again here with a scoreless fifth.
Hill worked around a two-out infield single, striking out Josh Naylor to send it to the sixth, Yanks up 3-2. And maybe the equipment guy can get Naylor a helmet that fits before Game 5 (he keeps losing it on every big swing).
The side winding veteran lefty Tim Hill is on now in the fifth, Luis Gil is done after four innings, bending and not breaking as they say. It’s 3-2, Yankees and Hill will face the top of the Cleveland order…
…which now includes pinch-hitter David Fry, Game 3’s game-ending home run hero. And here’s a terrific catch by Juan Soto, on a ball nearly over his head in right field.
He’s not a Gold Glove finalist for nothing, folks.
Lefty Tim Mayza is warming for the Yanks, but Boone is leaving Gil in, for now, with a 3-2 lead in the fourth. Gil will be trying to get through Cleveland’s 7-8-9 hitters, with Andres Gimenez up first…
…and Gil gets it done with a quick, drama-free frame. Now, Cleveland righty Eli Morgan enters to pitch the 5th inning.
And nice job by Cleveland lefty Erik Sabrowski, retiring five of the six Yanks he faced with three strikeouts.
This has a chance to be Luis Gil’s last batter, facing Daniel Schneemann with first and second, two out in the third and Andres Gimenez on deck…
…and Gil gets a huge strikeout in a nine-pitch battle with Schneeman, striking out the lefty hitter swinging at a 3-2 slider. End of third, 3-2, Yanks.
And now you wonder when Aaron Boone might begin getting his bullpen up, as Luis Gil gives up a two-out, softly lined RBI single to Josh Naylor with two out, scoring Steven Kwan (single, stolen base) from second.
It’s 3-2, Yankees in the third. Gil is at 61 pitches, and he’s just walked Lane Thomas to put runners at first and second.
Stephen Vogt has started Cleveland’s Wheel of Relievers with one out in the third inning, and lefty Erik Sabrowski has come in (with the bases empty) and retired Juan Soto and Aaron Judge. Still 3-1 Yanks, middle of the third.
Luis Gil could be on a short rope here too, though you wonder about the availability of Luke Weaver and Tommy Kahnle and perhaps Clay Holmes on the high-leverage, late-inning end due to workload.
That’s why Marcus Stroman could be a part of this one before we’re done; Stroman hasn’t appeared yet in postseason (he was not included in the ALDS round).
Before the game, Aaron Boone said it was “time to move (Wells) down,’’ though “I have confidence moving forward he’s going o have good at-bats.
“But I feel like he’s swung and missed at some pitches he normally hits.’’
Wells just hit this 1-0 fastball 407 feet, his first career postseason homer. And now in the bottom of the second, Erik Sabrowski has begun warming up for the Guards.
Knocked down from the cleanup spot to No. 8, Austin Wells has just delivered a long home run to center. It’s 3-1 Yanks in the second inning.
If I’m adding my scorebook correctly, that breaks an 0-for-21 stretch (with 11 strikeouts & zero walks) for Wells, dating to a third-inning single vs. Kansas City in ALDS Game 2.
Luis Gil’s penchant for walks is something to watch. And given a two-run edge he walks leadoff man Steven Kwan (who drew three walks in three PAs vs. Gil in an August game) and Cleveland has already halved the Yanks’ lead.
Kyle Manzardo lines a double to right that just gets past Rizzo’s attempt at first base (this appeared to be a very tough play, a slicing, hard-hit ball) and Jose Ramirez delivers a sac fly.
Credit to Gil for popping up Josh Naylor and getting Lane Thomas looking at a 2-2 changeup. It’s 2-1 Yanks, moving into the second.
Once more, Gleyber Torres and Juan Soto get the Yankees started in the first inning – this time with a single by Torres on the first pitch from Gavin Williams, and a 414-foot homer to right-center by Soto.
Two batters in, it’s 2-0 Yankees. Gleyber has now reached safely leading off five straight Yankee playoff games and seven of the eight played this October: two doubles, two singles, three walks.
With the Yankees leading two games to one in this best-of-seven, they send Luis Gil – on 19 days rest – out for his first playoff start.
“I feel good, I feel ready for the opportunity,’’ said Gil via interpreter. He’s opposing Cleveland right-hander Gavin Williams (3-10, 4.86 ERA in ’24).
It’s been an up-and-down second half (5-2, 4.20 ERA, 10 starts) for Gil after being one of the AL’s better starters (10-5, 3.17 ERA, 19 starts), putting him in conversation for the league’s Rookie of the Year award.
To stay sharp, Gil has been pitching simulated games, the last one coming four days ago at Yankee Stadium – a four-inning, 70-pitch outing against live batters.
“I’ve felt really good. I felt sharp,” said Gil, adding that his “command of the pitches was there, and the execution and the movement of the pitches was there. Very pleased the way that went.”
After exiting Game 3 in the sixth inning, Ian Hamilton was diagnosed with a low grade left calf strain. He was replaced on the ALCS roster by fellow right-handed reliever Mark Leiter Jr.
Lefty Nestor Cortes (flexor strain) was a consideration, but ultimately the Yankees felt they’d be doing him a disservice by activating him with a few more physical hurdles to clear.
Cortes is due to throw a 20-25 pitch live session Saturday, and manager Aaron Boone feels he stands “an excellent chance of being in play” for a roster spot if the Yanks advance to the World Series.
Hamilton had an outside chance of being ready for the World Series, but the Yankees ultimately went with Leiter Jr., who – when effective – can create effective swing-and-miss with his splitter. Cleveland’s lefty-leaning lineup was a factor as well.
Boone has moved Jazz Chisholm Jr. into the cleanup spot, moving the struggling Austin Wells (2-for-26, 12 strikeouts this postseason) down to the No. 8 spot.
“(Jazz is) a good player. Somebody’s got to hit fourth,’’ said Boone, wanting to keep the lineup’s balance with a lefty batting cleanup. “And I wanted to move Austin down.’’
Alex Verdugo was not a consideration for cleanup, but Anthony Rizzo was.
However, with Rizzo still dealing with discomfort from two fractured fingers to his right hand, suffered Sept. 28, Boone didn’t want to be caught in a spot “where I’ve got to pull him (from) a game’’ and have a lesser offensive presence at cleanup.
The right-hander pitched against the Guardians once previously this year, going just three innings and yielded three runs on six walks (3 to Steven Kwan) and three hits – including a Brayan Rocchio home run, on Aug. 20 at Yankee Stadium.
Meanwhile, Gavin Williams started and lost at Yankee Stadium on Aug. 22, going 4.1 innings and yielding three runs on four hits – including an Aaron Judge home run – and four walks.
SP: Gavin Williams, RHP
– The ALCS Game 5 pitching matchup is due to be Yankees’ lefty Carlos Rodon, the Game 1 winner, vs. right-hander Tanner Bibee, lifted after 1.1 innings (2 earned runs) in ALCS Game 2 at Yankee Stadium.
Time: 8:08 p.m.
TV: TBS, truTV
Stream: Max
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