Alex Verdugo drove in the go-ahead run with a weak grounder to shortstop that Cleveland Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio couldn’t field cleanly in the ninth inning and the New York Yankees won 8-6 in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series to move one victory from the World Series.
Pinch-runner Jon Berti scored to give the New York Yankees a 7–6 lead in the ninth inning and Gleyber Torres followed with a single to center field to drive in Anthony Volpe and boost the Yankees’ lead. Tommy Kahnle made that lead hold up, closing out the Guardians in the bottom of the frame.
Cleveland brought the game-winning run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth when Jhonkensy Noel drew a one-out walk and Andres Gimenez singled. But Bo Naylor flied out to center field, and Rocchio grounded out to second to end the game.
New York can clinch the AL pennant and a trip to the World Series with a win on Saturday.
Yet again, Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase looked human in the postseason after pitching heroically during the regular season. Coming in for the ninth with a 6–6 tie, Clase gave up consecutive singles to Rizzo and Volpe. Austin Wells struck out, and Volpe stole second base, setting up Verdugo’s go-ahead ground ball.
Cade Smith was Cleveland’s fourth pitcher of the game and came into Friday’s matchup having allowed just one run in nine postseason innings. He had a disastrous result in Game 4.
Juan Soto walked, and Aaron Judge singled to begin the sixth. Jazz Chisholm Jr. moved them to second and third with a sacrifice bunt. Then Smith left a two-strike fastball out over the plate, and Giancarlo Stanton crushed it for a three-run homer, building the Yankees’ lead to 6–2.
Soto and Wells also hit home runs in Game 4, roughing up Guardians starter Gavin Williams in the top of the first and second. Williams appeared to settle down after that, but manager Stephen Vogt pulled him with one out in the third inning.
Cleveland rallied in the seventh, cutting the margin to 6–5 on consecutive one-out RBI doubles from Jose Ramirez and Josh Naylor off Clay Holmes.
But Noel could not repeat his late-inning, pinch-hit home run heroics against Mark Leiter Jr. He hit a long fly ball down the left-field line, but it stayed in the park this time. Leiter was added to the Yankees’ ALCS roster before the game as an injury replacement for Ian Hamilton. The Guardians tacked on one more in the eighth on a David Fry single, but that’s all they would get before the Yankees went ahead in the ninth.
Tanner Bibee will start Game 5 with the Guardians’ season at stake. Carlos Rodon gets the starting nod for the Yankees on Saturday, with first pitch scheduled for 8:08 p.m. ET.
Here’s how the action from Game 4 played out, with updates and highlights on Yahoo Sports’ live blog:
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Yankees win 8–6, take 3–1 ALCS lead
Tommy Kahnle closed out the ninth inning for the Yankees in an 8-6 victory.
The game-winning run came to the plate for the Guardians after Jhonkensy Noel drew a one-out walk and Andres Gimenez singled. But Bo Naylor flew out to center field, and Brayan Rocchio grounded out to second base to end the game.
With the 8–6 victory, the Yankees take a 3–1 series lead. New York can clinch the AL pennant and a trip to the World Series on Saturday.
Guardians bring game-winning run to the plate
Jhonkensy Noel drew a one-out walk, followed by a single to right field by Andres Gimenez. That brings the game-winning run to the plate in Bo Naylor.
Gleyber Torres gives Yankees 8-6 lead
The Yankees now have a two-run lead as Gleyber Torres drives in Anthony Volpe with a single into center field.
Yankees take 7–6 lead
Emmanuel Clase struck out Austin Wells to give himself some breathing room. But the Yankees still had runners on second and third with one out.
Alex Verdugo then hit a weak grounder to shortstop, but Brayan Rocchio can’t field the ball as he charges in. That allows Jon Berti to score the go-ahead run.
Yankees threatening in the 9th
Anthony Rizzo leads off the top of the ninth with a single off Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase. Jon Berti pinch-runs for him. Anthony Volpe follows with another single, moving Berti to third base.
Two runners on and no outs as Clase faces Austin Wells.
Volpe steals second base to give the Yankees runners on second and third.
Mark Leiter Jr. strikes out Josh Naylor to keep the game tied
Mark Leiter Jr. intentionally walks Jose Ramirez to face Josh Naylor, putting runners on first and second with two outs.
He then strikes out Naylor to end the inning. The game is tied 6–6 going into the ninth.
Cleveland has tied the score at 6–6
David Fry does it again. He hits a grounder toward first base, which is fielded by Mark Leiter Jr. But Leiter can’t toss the ball cleanly to Anthony Rizzo, and it goes between his legs. That allows Bo Naylor to score the tying run.
Guardians have tying run on 3rd base with one out
Brayan Rocchio moves Bo Naylor to third base on a grounder to shortstop. The tying run is 90 feet away with Steven Kwan coming to bat.
Tying run is aboard for Cleveland
Bo Naylor leads off the bottom of the eighth with a double. Up next is Brayan Rocchio.
Hunter Gaddis strikes out the side
Hunter Gaddis comes on to pitch the eighth for the Guardians and doesn’t allow the Yankees to get any insurance runs.
The right-hander struck out Aaron Judge, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Giancarlo Stanton to sit the Yankees down in order.
Mark Leiter Jr. holds the Yankees’ lead
Mark Leiter Jr. strikes out Andres Gimenez to end the bottom of the seventh for the Guardians and hold the Yankees’ 6–5 lead.
Again, Leiter was only added to New York’s ALCS roster before Game 4 as an injury replacement for Ian Hamilton.
No clutch homer this time for Jhonkensy Noel
Jhonkensy Noel can’t repeat his Game 3 home run. He gave the pitch a right down the left-field line, but this one stayed in the park, caught by Alex Verdugo.
Pitching change for the Yankees
After walking Lane Thomas on five pitches, Clay Holmes is out. Aaron Boone is bringing in Mark Leiter Jr., just added to the Yankees’ ALCS roster, to face pinch-hitter Jhonkensy Noel with one out and runners on first and second.
Jose Ramirez and Josh Naylor make this a 6–5 game
The Guardians have made it a one-run game. Jose Ramirez drove in Brayan Rocchio with a one-out double, then Josh Naylor followed with another double that scored Steven Kwan and Ramirez.
Still just one out in the seventh, and it’s 6–5.
Clay Holmes wins rematch with David Fry
David Fry doesn’t repeat his home run heroics against Clay Holmes. Holmes gets the rematch, striking out Fry looking on a sweeper.
Guardians have a threat brewing
Brayan Rocchio walks and goes to third on a Steven Kwan single to begin the bottom of the seventh for the Guardians.
That convinces Aaron Boone to pull Jake Cousins and bring in Clay Holmes. Two runners on and no outs with David Fry coming to the plate.
Joey Cantillo is not a wild thing this time out
After throwing four wild pitches in Game 1 of the ALCS, Guardians reliever Joey Cantillo had a calmer performance in the top of the seventh.
Cantillo walked Alex Verdugo to lead off the frame but then got Gleyber Torres to ground into a double play. He froze Juan Soto on a changeup to finish off a scoreless inning.
Jake Cousins throws a scoreless 6th
The Guardians can’t answer in the bottom of the sixth. Jake Cousins came on in relief for the Yankees and allowed a two-out single to Andres Gimenez. But he struck out Bo Naylor to keep Cleveland off the board.
Yankees come to bat in the top of the seventh with a 6–2 lead.
Tim Herrin stops the bleeding
Tim Herrin finished out the top of the sixth, striking out Anthony Rizzo, giving up a single to Anthony Volpe and getting Austin Wells to ground into a force out at second base. But the damage was already done by Giancarlo Stanton.
Guardians now trail 6–2 as they bat in the bottom of the frame.
Giancarlo Stanton launches a 3-run homer
Cade Smith took over for Eli Wilson in the top of the sixth and had a disastrous inning. After walking Juan Soto on five pitches, he gives up a single to Aaron Judge. Jazz Chisholm Jr. moves the runners to second and third with a sacrifice bunt.
Then Giancarlo Stanton gives the Yankees a 6-2 lead by crushing a fastball over the plate into the left-field seats. And he knew it.
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