Guardians Stage Epic Comeback to Stay Alive Against Yankees in ALCS Game 3 Thriller

The New York Yankees appeared to be on the verge of taking a commanding lead in the American League Championship Series (ALCS) on Thursday night. In a game that seemed nearly impossible to win, the Yankees fought their way back with a pair of jaw-dropping home runs in the eighth inning, only to see the Cleveland Guardians snatch victory in dramatic fashion, sending the series into a new level of intensity.

Down 3-1 in the eighth inning with two outs and facing Cleveland’s dominant closer, Emmanuel Clase, the Yankees had their backs against the wall. Clase, widely regarded as the best closer in baseball, had been nearly untouchable all season, allowing just five earned runs in 74 regular-season appearances. In the postseason, he had only been touched up once by the Detroit Tigers in the AL Division Series before quickly regaining his dominant form. Clase’s cutter and slider had overpowered the league’s best hitters all year, and the Yankees were about to find out if they could overcome the impossible.

The Yankees had already put in work long before the game even started, with Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge taking early batting practice at an empty Progressive Field. Together with assistant hitting coach Casey Dykes, the sluggers worked on hitting to the opposite field, simulating different pitching angles to prepare for their confrontation with Clase later in the night. That early effort would pay off in one of the most dramatic comebacks in recent Yankees history.

Facing a 3-1 deficit, Aaron Judge stepped to the plate against Clase with a man on base. Clase, who had baffled hitters all year with his high-velocity cutters and pinpoint location, quickly got ahead in the count. But Judge, ever the competitor, battled back. With a two-strike count, Judge connected with a 99-mph cutter that was low and away, sending a 109.9-mph missile just over the right-field wall to tie the game at 3-3. In a matter of seconds, the Yankees had new life. The crowd at Progressive Field, which had been roaring just moments earlier, fell eerily silent.

Two minutes later, Giancarlo Stanton took his turn at the plate. Like Judge, Stanton found himself in a quick 0-2 hole against Clase, but he too fought his way back. On the seventh pitch of the at-bat, Stanton crushed a 90-mph slider over the center-field wall, giving the Yankees a 4-3 lead. It was the first time in Clase’s career that he had given up multiple home runs in a single game. The Yankees’ dugout exploded in celebration, as they had seemingly pulled off the impossible.

But the game, which had already featured some incredible twists and turns, was far from over. Cleveland wasn’t going down without a fight, and what followed was one of the most chaotic and thrilling finishes in postseason history.

Yankees reliever Luke Weaver was called upon to get a four-out save, and after escaping a jam in the eighth inning, it looked like he was going to carry the Yankees to victory. After inducing a double play in the ninth inning, Weaver was one out away from securing the Yankees’ win when Lane Thomas stepped up to the plate. After falling behind 0-2, Weaver lost his command, and Thomas took advantage. On a 3-2 pitch, Thomas smacked a double off the left-field wall, keeping Cleveland’s hopes alive.

Then came the moment that shifted the entire game. With two outs and the Guardians down to their last strike, Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt sent pinch-hitter Jhonkensy Noel to the plate. Noel, known for his raw power, took full advantage of a hanging changeup from Weaver, blasting a game-tying home run that sent the Cleveland crowd into a frenzy. Just like that, the Yankees’ hopes of a near-certain win evaporated into thin air.

The Yankees had one more chance to retake the lead in extra innings, but Cleveland’s defense was relentless. A highlight-reel play by second baseman Andrés Giménez ended a Yankees rally in the 10th inning. With one out and a runner on base, Yankees third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a chopper into the hole at second, but Giménez made an unbelievable diving stop and a leaping throw to first to complete the out. The Yankees were deflated once again.

In the bottom of the 10th inning, Cleveland’s David Fry delivered the final blow. With two outs and the score tied at 5-5, Fry launched a 1-2 sinker from Yankees reliever Clay Holmes into the left-field seats, ending the game in dramatic fashion. The Yankees, who had been one out away from victory in the ninth inning, were left stunned by Cleveland’s resilience.

The win was a defining moment for the Guardians, who rallied from behind to secure a 7-5 victory in a game that will be remembered for years to come. For the Yankees, it was a painful reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in October. Now, with the series back up for grabs, both teams will have to regroup and prepare for what promises to be an intense finish to the ALCS.