From Ecstasy to Agony. Cleveland 7 NY 5 in 10 innings

Aaron Judge hits clutch, game-tying 2-run homer in the 8th.

It was the greatest game of all time that turned into the worst game of all time.

Aaron Judge hit a CLUTCH, 2-run homer off Cleveland Ace reliever Emmanuel Clase with 1 out in the top of the 8th to tie the game! And next batter Giancarlo Stanton hit a go-ahead homer to centerfield! Jubulation in Yankee Universe and NY added an insurance run in the top of the 9th to go ahead 5-3.

Ecstasy.

And then with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th, Luke Weaver had an 0-2 count on Lane Thomas — the Yanks were a strike away from Victory which would have had them take a 3-0 game lead in the series.

But Weaver coughed up a double to Thomas and a homer to rookie pinch-hitter Jhonkensy Noel as Cleveland tied the game. Clay Holmes allowed a 2-run walkoff homer to David Fry in the bottom of the 10th and final score Cleveland 7 NY 5.

Agony.

“One pitch away,” said Luke Weaver afterwards. “0-2 to Lane Thomas there. Just gotta execute. Really felt like I let the team down there; myself down. It’s baseball; things like that happen. A twist of an arm and it feels a little devasting. But at the end of the day like you say you have to bounce back. We’re still in a good position. They earned it. Big at bat there from Noel. I just threw the worst pitch of the outing, and he was ready to aggressively swing. He got it. I just have to flush it.”

“There are times where I just got to slow the game down; not let it speed up,” added Weaver. “You get the big double play; you get to 0-2 and you just try to do a little too much. Thomas has a good at bat there. And the moment starts to get a little big. You just need to step back; tonite I didn’t quite have the execution in that moment that I needed to. But I do feel like I’m in a good spot and I feel we’re playing well.”

1. Yanks Jump on Top

The Yanks worked lefty starter Matt Boyd early — Gleyber Torres and Giancarlo Stanton working walks in the 1st to no avail, but in the 2nd Anthony Volpe worked a 1-out walk, Alex Verdugo doubled to right, and Jose Trevino singled in Volpe for a 1-0 Yankee lead.

But the Yankee horrid baserunning continued — Gleyber Torres threatened a bunt, then on next pitch Trevino got picked off 1st to kill the rally.

2. Schmidt Good — Made 1 Mistake

Clarke Schmidt started for NY and looked sharp — pitching a shutout through the first 2 innings.

But he made a mistake in the 3rd — a 1-out homer by Kyle Manzardo after an leadoff infield single by Brayan Rocchio. Cleveland 2 NY 1.

Schmidt kept the score there — pitching a shutout 4th, and getting the first 2 outs of the 5th before yielding a double to Jose Ramirez and yielding to Tim Hill — who came in and got the final out on a Josh Naylor fly to left.

3. Yank Middle Relievers Good

Ian Hamilton made his first appearance of the ALCS in the 6th — he walked Thomas to leadoff but got a groundout to 1st — the out made by Hamilton covering the bag — and twisting his ankle a bit while doing so.

Tim Mayza came in and yielded an RBI single to Gimenez, before retiring the last 2 batters of the inning — getting Steven Kwan to end the inning on a groundout that stranded runners on 1st and 3rd. A big play.

Mayza walked the first batter of the bottom of the 7th, but Tommy Kahnle came in and retired the side while walking a batter — getting a final groundout stranding runners on 1st and 2nd.

4. Judge 2-Run HR Ties It in 8th!

Meanwhile Matt Boyd settled down after the 2nd inning — cruising through the Yankee lineup from the 3rd through the 5th. He was only at 75 pitches but Cleveland pulled him and brought in Cade Smith, who was lights out in the 6th. Tim Herrin pitched a shutout the 7th, working around a 2-out double to Anthony Volpe.

Lefty Hunter Gaddis pitched the 8th — striking out Austin Wells and getting Gleyber Torres to ground out, but yielding a walk to Juan Soto.

That brought up Aaron Judge as the tying run, and Cleveland went to their Ace reliever, Emmanuel Clase. Judge fouled off a 98-MPH cutter, took a 98-MPH cutter for a strike, took a 99-MPH cutter for a ball, and hit a 99-MPH cutter to the opposite field for a 2-run homer! Cleveland 3 NY 3!

5. Giancarlo Goes Back-to-Back!

Next batter Giancarlo Stanton then battled back from an 0-2 count, fouled off 3 pitches, and ripped an 89-MPH slider to centerfield for a 390-foot homer and 4-3 Yankee lead!

6. Weaver Helps Kahnle in 8th

Tommy Kahnle pitched the bottom of the 8th — NY up 4-3. He got a groundout, then a hot shot down 1st that got past Anthony Rizzo for a double into right — Rizzo should have made the play on it.

Kahnle then got a fly out, but then walked Steven Kwan — putting 1st and 2nd with 2 outs. In came Luke Weaver; he struck out Steven Fry to end the inning. HUGE.

7. Yanks Get Insurance Run in 9th

Anthony Volpe led off the top of the 9th with a walk against Eli Morgan. Alex Verdugo hit a grounder to 2nd — which should have been an easy fielder’s choice — but Volpe blew past 2nd and headed to 3rd. The throw was to 3rd and Volpe banged into Ramirez in the basepaths, who dropped the ball. Everyone safe.

The Yanks were set up with 2nd and 3rd and nobody out — but Austin Wells struck out. Gleyber Torres came through with a Clutch sac fly to center. NY 5 Cleveland 3.

8. The Agony of Defeat

And then to the bottom of the 9th. A hot shot by Ramirez to Rizzo at 1st to start the inning — Rizzo booting the ball — Ramirez safe at 1st. Weaver got Josh Naylor to hit a comebacker — Weaver made a tremendous defensive play — firing to 2nd to start a double play.

Weaver then got ahead of Thomas 0-2. Then 3 straight balls — overthrowing. Then a 95-MPH fastball that Thomas hit off the wall in left center for a double.

Up came rookie Noel pinch hitting. Weaver threw a fastball for a ball, then a changeup that hung a bit. Noel blasted it to left for a 2-run homer and tie game. DEVASTATING.

No Inherited Runners in Playoff Baseball

The inherited runner doesn’t exist in playoff baseball. The Yanks got 2 on in the top of the 10th on a 1-out walk to Stanton and 2-out intentional walk to Rizzo, but didn’t score.

Bottom of the 10th — Clay Holmes in — a leadoff single by Bo Naylor, a sacrifice, a groundout — a 2-out, 2-run homer by Fry to center for the old ballgame.

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401701052

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