Yankees get to Guardians closer Clase again, score 2 runs in 9th to win 8-6 and take 3-1 ALCS lead

CLEVELAND (AP) — One late-night October meltdown was one too many for the New York Yankees.

Again? Fugedaboudit.

The Yankees scratched out two runs in the ninth inning off All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase and bounced back from a gut-wrenching loss a day earlier, beating the Cleveland Guardians 8-6 on Friday night to take a 3-1 lead in the American League Championship Series.

New York broke a 6-6 tie in the ninth as shortstop Brayan Rocchio booted Alex Verdugo’s RBI grounder for an error and Gleyber Torres followed with a run-scoring single.

Giancarlo Stanton hit a three-run homer, Juan Soto had a two-run, first-inning shot and Austin Wells also connected for the Yankees, who can advance to their 41st World Series — and first since 2009 — with by winning Game 5 on Saturday night.

Just 24 hours after leaving Progressive Field wondering what went wrong, the Yankees showed resiliency.

“Not surprised with these guys,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "Obviously last night was a really tough loss. And whatever happened today, win, lose or draw, there’s no doubt in my mind we’d come out ready to roll, ready to turn the page.

"Not a perfect game, but a gritty, tough, winning game.”

It was a messy ninth for Clase (0-2) as baseball's best reliever faltered for the second night in a row.

New York got three singles in the ninth off the right-hander, who gave up back-to-back homers in the eighth inning of Game 3 but got bailed out when the Guardians hit two-run homers in the ninth and 10th.

He wasn't as lucky this time as New York's bullpen bent but didn't break.

“I haven’t been able to execute my pitches,” Clase said through an interpreter. “Credit to them because they’ve been able to execute their at-bats.”

The Guardians are facing elimination in the postseason for the second time. They rallied in the ALDS to get past Detroit and will have to win three straight, including two at Yankee Stadium, to have any chance of ending their 76-year World Series drought.

“We’re going to show up ready to win,” first-year manager Stephen Vogt said. “That’s who these guys are. Our backs are against the wall, we play our best baseball. We don’t quit. This team has no quit in it. It hasn’t all year long.”

For the second straight night, the Yankees relievers struggled in high-leverage situations. The Guardians scored three in the seventh, one in the eighth and threatened in the ninth, putting two runners on.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone went to Tommy Kahnle — and not closer Luke Weaver — for the last three outs and the right-hander was able to put away Cleveland by throwing 18 pitches, all changeups.

Stanton’s 404-foot drive in the sixth inning off rookie Cade Smith put the Yankees ahead 6-2. Stanton has seven career postseason hits against Cleveland, all home runs.

After Cleveland closed to 6-5 in the seventh, rookie Jhonkensy Noel sent a shiver through the ballpark when he flied out to the warning track with a man on. Noel's pinch-hit, ninth-inning homer had tied Game 3.

The Guardians tied the score in the eighth when the Yankees botched an easy play in the infield, yet another of their fielding and baserunning miscues.

Bo Naylor doubled and moved up on an infield grounder. Mark Leiter Jr. (1-0), added to the Yankees' ALCS roster earlier in the day as Ian Hamilton's injury replacement, got Steven Kwan to pop up. Leiter appeared to get out of the inning when David Fry, one of Cleveland’s Game 3 home run stars, hit a slow grounder to the right side.

Leiter charged the ball on the grass, knocked it down and scooped the ball barehanded as he neared the foul line toward first. His low flip to first went through Anthony Rizzo’s legs for an error as Naylor scored.

Stanton, who hit back-to-back homers with Aaron Judge in the eighth inning Thursday, gave the Yankees a four-run lead with his 15th career postseason homer.

Smith, dominant during the regular season, walked Soto leading off the sixth. Judge singled and Stanton drove a 1-2 fastball into the bleachers where a sizable contingent of Yankees fans were waiting for it to land.

“I was in the zone and I got behind in the count,” Smith said. “I guess I threw what he was looking for.”

Stanton tied Carlos Beltrán and Nelson Cruz for the most homers in the first 35 career playoff games. He also moved into a tie with Judge and Babe Ruth for fourth in club history.

But the personal accolades meant nothing to Stanton. After Game 3, a victory was all that mattered.

And now New York needs one more.

“No lead is safe,” Stanton said. “It’s a great team over there, but it’s just important to keep pushing. They answered the bell. It’s a wave. It’s a roller coaster. But yeah, it was good to come out on top today.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Yankees: Hamilton injured a calf while covering first base in the sixth inning of Game 3. He won't be eligible for the World Series if New York advances. Boone said he considered adding lefty Nestor Cortes but wants to give the lefty as much time as possible to recover from an elbow strain.

UP NEXT

Yankees LHP Carlos Rodón makes his second start of the series after a strong Game 1 outing — one run and three hits with nine strikeouts in six innings. He'll face Guardians right-hander Tanner Bibee, who was pulled after just 39 pitches in Game 2 and will pitch on three days' rest.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge, right, and Anthony Rizzo celebrate after Game 4 of the baseball AL Championship Series against the Cleveland Guardians Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, in Cleveland. The Yankees won 8-6 to take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Cleveland Guardians players watch from the dugout during the ninth inning in Game 4 of the baseball AL Championship Series against the New York Yankees Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, in Cleveland. The Yankees won 8-6. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

New York Yankees' Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) and Oswaldo Cabrera celebrate after Game 4 of the baseball AL Championship Series against the Cleveland Guardians Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, in Cleveland. The Yankees won 8-6 to take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

New York Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton, right, celebrates with Aaron Judge after hitting three-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the sixth inning in Game 4 of the baseball AL Championship Series Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

New York Yankees' Austin Wells watches his home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the second inning in Game 4 of the baseball AL Championship Series Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Gavin Williams throws against the New York Yankees during the first inning in Game 4 of the baseball AL Championship Series Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

New York Yankees' Juan Soto (22) celebrates with Aaron Judge after hitting a two-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the first inning in Game 4 of the baseball AL Championship Series Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

New York Yankees' Juan Soto, right, celebrates with third base coach Luis Rojas (67) after hitting a two-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the first inning in Game 4 of the baseball AL Championship Series Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

New York Yankees' Juan Soto celebrates after hitting a two-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the first inning in Game 4 of the baseball AL Championship Series Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

New York Yankees' Austin Wells (28) celebrates with Alex Verdugo after hitting a home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the second inning in Game 4 of the baseball AL Championship Series Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

New York Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton tosses his bat after hitting a three-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the sixth inning in Game 4 of the baseball AL Championship Series Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

New York Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton (27) celebrates with teammates after hitting a home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the eighth inning in Game 3 of the baseball AL Championship Series Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Cleveland.(AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

New York Yankees' Juan Soto, left, celebrates after hitting a two-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the first inning in Game 4 of the baseball AL Championship Series Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Cleveland Guardians pitcher Emmanuel Clase throws against the New York Yankees during the ninth inning in Game 4 of the baseball AL Championship Series Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

New York Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton celebrates after hitting a home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the eighth inning in Game 3 of the baseball AL Championship Series Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Cleveland.(AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

New York Yankees pitcher Tommy Kahnle celebrates after Game 4 of the baseball AL Championship Series against the Cleveland Guardians Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, in Cleveland. The Yankees won 8-6 to take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

CLEVELAND (AP) — Mark Leiter Jr. didn't get the chance to ease into the postseason.

Hours after being added to New York's roster to replace injured Ian Hamilton, the right-hander got thrown into his biggest game with the Yankees.

Acquired in July to help the AL East champions in October, Leiter pitched 1 1/3 innings Friday night and got the win in Game 4 of the AL Championship Series as the Yankees beat the Cleveland Guardians 8-6 to move within one victory of their first World Series since 2009.

Leiter hadn’t pitched since Sept. 29.

“Booney kept telling me to be ready for anything and that there was a chance I was going to be used to get big outs and that’s the way it kind of fell,” Leiter said of manager Aaron Boone. “So I was just trying to stay ready and stay sharp and when my name was called, go out there and do my job.”

Boone was pleased with Leiter's performance.

“He did a great job, managed contact,” Boone said. “I thought he was really good. Unfortunately, he didn’t complete a play there on the tough little squibber, but I thought he threw the ball excellent and obviously in an enormous spot.”

Leiter helped New York's bullpen survive another rally by the Guardians, who came back from a 6-2 deficit to tie it in the seventh.

Leiter entered in the seventh to replace an ineffective Clay Holmes. His first batter was rookie Jhonkensy Noel, who hit a ninth-inning homer in Game 3 and put a scare into the Yankees by flying out to the warning track.

In the eighth, Leiter gave up a leadoff double to Bo Naylor and appeared to be out of the inning when he got David Fry to hit a slow roller toward first. But Leiter knocked down the ball and underhanded it one motion through first baseman Anthony Rizzo's legs.

The botched play aside, Leiter's outing could give Boone confidence to use him going forward since the Yankees will be without Hamilton for the rest of the ALCS — or the World Series if they advance — after he injured his left calf in Game 3 on Thursday night.

Boone said Hamilton suffered a low-grade calf strain while the right-hander covered first base in the sixth inning. The Yankees wound up blowing a 5-3 lead in the ninth and lost 7-5 to the Guardians, who got tying homer from Noel in the ninth and Fry's walk-off homer in the 10th.

Hamilton went 0-1 with a 3.82 ERA in 35 games for the Yankees this season. He missed nearly three months with a strained side muscle. He returned in mid-September and pitched in the ALDS against Kansas City.

In the sixth, Guardians rookie Daniel Schneemann hit a grounder to first baseman Jon Berti, who bobbled the ball. Hamilton hustled over to the base, and appeared to step awkwardly. He threw a wild warmup pitch before Boone replaced him.

Major League Baseball had to approve the Yankees' request to substitute for Hamilton, whose medical information was reviewed by an independent doctor. By rule, Hamilton will not be eligible to play in the World Series should New York advance.

Leiter struggled after coming to New York in a July trade from the Cubs. He went 2-1 with a 4.98 ERA in 21 games and was left off the ALDS and ALCS rosters. The 33-year-old was 2-4 with a 4.21 ERA in 39 games for Chicago.

Before the game, Boone said he was tempted to add left-hander Nestor Cortes, but the left-hander is recovering from an elbow strain and isn't quite ready.

“I felt like it would be unfair to him to skip some steps to get him back,” Boone said, adding Cortes is in position to be on the World Series roster if the Yankees advance.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

New York Yankees relief pitcher Ian Hamilton leaves during the sixth inning in Game 3 of the baseball AL Championship Series against the Cleveland Guardians Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Cleveland.(AP Photo/Godofredo Vásquez )

New York Yankees relief pitcher Ian Hamilton, left, leaves the game during the sixth inning in Game 3 of the baseball AL Championship Series against the Cleveland GuardiansvThursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in Cleveland.(AP Photo/Godofredo Vásquez )