CLEVELAND — David Fry delivered a walk-off two-run homer in the 10th inning after Jhonkensy Noel hit a game-tying two-run blast with two outs in the ninth as the Cleveland Guardians pulled out an improbable 7-5 victory over the visiting New York Yankees on Thursday in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series.
Bo Naylor led off the 10th inning with a single for Cleveland and moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt from Brayan Rocchio. Steven Kwan grounded out before Fry hit his dramatic, game-winning home run into the seats in left-center on a 1-2 sinker from Clay Holmes (2-1).
Noel’s pinch-hit homer in the ninth came after the Yankees appeared to administer a decisive blow when Aaron Judge hit a game-tying two-run home run with two outs in the eighth inning and Giancarlo Stanton followed with a go-ahead homer for a 4-3 lead.
Cleveland right-hander Pedro Avila (1-0) pitched a scoreless 10th inning to earn the win.
The result cut the Guardians’ deficit in the series to 2-1. Game 4 is set for Friday at Cleveland.
New York first appeared headed for defeat before Judge and Stanton hit home runs against All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase for a 4-3 lead. They added a run in the ninth on a sacrifice fly from Gleyber Torres.
Yankees closer Luke Weaver was one out away from the save in the ninth inning after getting Josh Naylor to ground into a double play. Lane Thomas fought back from an 0-2 count to double off the top of the wall in left-center and Noel hit a towering pinch-hit home run to left for a 5-5 tie.
Kyle Manzardo hit a two-run home run for the Guardians, while left-hander Matthew Boyd gave up one run over five innings. Clase had his fourth blown save in the regular season and postseason combined after 47 regular-season saves.
The Yankees took a 1-0 lead in the second inning after Anthony Volpe walked and Alex Verdugo doubled against Boyd to put runners on second and third. Volpe scored on Jose Trevino’s single to right field.
After Trevino was caught stealing, Boyd retired the last 10 Yankees batters he faced.
The Guardians moved out in front 2-1 in the third inning when Rocchio led off with a single and Manzardo homered to right field. It was the rookie’s first career postseason home run and sixth since he returned from a minor league demotion on Sept. 1.
With New York’s Tim Mayza on the mound in the sixth inning, Thomas stole third base and scored on a single by Andres Gimenez for a 3-1 lead.
The Yankees’ Juan Soto walked with two outs in the eighth inning against Hunter Gaddis before Clase was called on for a four-out save. After he went deep an MLB-leading 58 times in the regular season, Judge homered on a 1-2 count before Stanton blasted his own home run to right-center on a 1-2 count for the 4-3 lead.
–Field Level Media
