Alex Verdugo drove in the go-ahead run with a weak grounder to shortstop that Cleveland Guardians shortstop Brian Rucci could not field cleanly as he charged. Pinch-runner John Bertie scored to give the New York Yankees a 7-6 lead. The ninth inning of Game 4 of the American League Championship Series.
Gleyber Torres followed with a single to center field to drive in Anthony Volpe and increase the Yankees' lead to 8-6. Tommy Kahnle held onto that lead, shutting down the Guardians in the bottom of the frame.
Cleveland brought the game-winning run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth when Jonkensi Noel drew a one-out walk and Andres Jimenez singled. But Bo Naylor flied out to center and Rocheo moved to second to end the game.
With the 8-6 win, the Yankees lead the series 3-1. New York can clinch the AL pennant and a trip to the World Series with a win on Saturday.
Once again, Guardians closer Emmanuel Claes looked human in the season after pitching super-heroically in the regular season. Coming into the ninth with a 6-6 tie, Claes gave up back-to-back 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 entered Friday's matchup with just one run in nine postseason innings. But he had a disastrous result in Game 4.
Juan Soto walked, and Aaron Judge singled to start the sixth. Jazz Chisholm Jr. moved them to second and third with sacrifice bunts. Smith then laid a two-strike fastball over the plate and Giancarlo Stanton crushed it for a three-run homer, extending the Yankees' lead to 6–2.
Soto and Wells also hit home runs in Game 4, putting Guardians starter Gavin Williams on first and second. Williams appeared to settle down after that, but manager Stephen Vogt pulled him with one out in the third inning.
Cleveland cut the deficit to 6-5 in the seventh on back-to-back one-out RBI doubles from Jose Ramirez and Josh Naylor for Clay Holmes.
But Noel couldn't 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 playing as an injury replacement for Ian Hamilton. The Guardians tacked on one more in the eighth on a David Frye single, but that would be all they would get before the Yankees took the lead in the ninth.
Tanner Bibby will start Game 5 with the Guardians' season in jeopardy. Carlos Rodon gets the nod to start for the Yankees on Saturday, with first pitch scheduled for 8:08 pm ET.
Here's how the action from Game 4 unfolded, with updates and highlights on Yahoo Sports' live blog:
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The Yankees won 8-6, taking a 3-1 ALCS lead
Tommy Kahnle closed out the ninth inning for the Yankees in an 8-6 win.
The game-winning run for the Guardians came after Jonkensi Noel drew a one-out walk and Andres Gimenez singled. But Bo Naylor flied out to center field, and Brian Roccio grounded out to second base to end the game.
With the 8-6 win, the Yankees lead the series 3-1. New York could clinch the AL pennant and a trip to the World Series on Saturday.
The Guardians brought the game-winning run to the plate
Jonkensi Noel drew a one-out walk, followed by Andres Gimenez's single to right field. That brought the game-winning run to the plate by Bo Naylor.
Gleyber Torres gives the Yankees an 8-6 lead
The Yankees now had a two-run lead as Gleyber Torres drove in Anthony Volpe with a single to center field.
The Yankees take a 7-6 lead
Emmanuel Claes hits 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 Brian Roccio couldn't field the ball as he charged. This allowed John Barty to run ahead.
Yankees 9th threat
Anthony Rizzo led off the top of the ninth on a single by Guardians closer Emmanuel Claes. Jon Barty pinch-runs for him. Anthony Volpe followed with another single, moving Bertie to third base.
Clase faced Austin Wells as two runners on and no outs.
Volpe stole second base to give the Yankees runners at second and third.
Mark Leiter struck out junior Josh Naylor to tie the game
Mark Leiter Jr. intentionally walked Jose Ramirez to face Josh Naylor, putting runners on first and second with two outs.
He then ended the innings by dismissing Naylor. The game was tied 6-6 in the top of the ninth.
Cleveland tied the score at 6-6
David Fry does it again. He hit a grounder toward first base, which was fielded by Mark Letter Jr. But Leiter can't toss the ball cleanly to Anthony Rizzo and it goes between his legs. That allowed Bo Naylor to score the tying run.
The Guardians scored the tying run at 3rd base with one out
Brian Rocchio moved Bo Naylor to third base on a grounder to shortstop. The tying run is 90 feet away with Steven Kwan coming to bat.
The tying run is aboard for Cleveland
Bo Naylor led off the bottom of the eighth with a double. Next is Brian Roche.
Hunter Gaddis struck out the side
Hunter Gaddis came on to pitch the eighth for the Guardians and didn't allow the Yankees to get any insurance runs.
Right-hander Aaron Judge struck out Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Giancarlo Stanton to put the Yankees in order.
Mark Leiter Jr. leads the Yankees
Mark Leiter Jr. struck out Andres Gimenez to end the bottom of the seventh for the Guardians and preserve 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 Jonkensi Noel
Jhonkensy Noel can't repeat his Game 3 home run. He pitched right down the left-field line, but it stayed in the park, caught by Alex Verdugo.
Pitching changes for the Yankees
After walking Lane Thomas on five pitches, Clay Holmes struck out. Aaron Boone brings in Mark Leiter Jr., just added to the Yankees' ALCS roster, to pinch-hitter Jonkensi Noel with one out to face runners on first and second.
Jose Ramirez and Josh Naylor made it a 6-5 game
The Guardians made it a one-run game. Jose Ramirez drove in Brian Rocchio with a one-out double, then Josh Naylor followed with another double to score Steven Kwan and Ramirez.
Still just one out in the seventh, and it's 6-5.
Clay Holmes won a rematch with David Frye
David Frye doesn't repeat his home run heroics against Clay Holmes. Holmes gets the rematch, Frye looks for a sweeper.
There is a threat to the parents
Steven Kwan singled to third with Brian Roccio walking to start the bottom of the seventh for the Guardians.
That convinced Aaron Boone to pull Jake Cousins and bring in Clay Holmes. Two runners on and David Frye coming to the plate with no outs.
Joey Cantillo is not a wild thing this time
After throwing four wild pitches in Game 1 of the ALCS, Guardians reliever Joey Cantillo had a quiet 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 iced Juan Soto in a changeup to end a scoreless inning.
Jake Cousins threw a scoreless 6th
The Guardians couldn't reply in the bottom six. 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.
The Yankees came into bat in the top of the seventh with a 6-2 lead.
Tim Herrin stops the bleeding
Tim Herrin struck out Anthony Rizzo, gave up a single to Anthony Volpe and grounded out to Austin Wells on a force out at second base. But Giancarlo Stanton had already done the damage.
The Guardians now trail 6-2 as they bat in the bottom of the frame.
Giancarlo Stanton launched a 3-run homer
Cade Smith took over for Eli Wilson in the sixth and had a disastrous inning. After walking Juan Soto on five pitches, he gave up a single to Aaron Judge. Jazz Chisholm Jr. put runners on second and third with a sacrifice bunt.
Then Giancarlo Stanton crushed a fastball over the plate into the left-field seats to give the Yankees a 6-2 lead. And he knew it.
