Yankees squander lead, bounce back to take 3-1 advantage over Cleveland in ALCS

The New York Yankees can breathe a sigh of relief, for now at least.

After squandering a four-run lead Friday night, the Yankees rallied against the best closer in the game for an 8-6 win over the Cleveland Guardians to take a 3-1 lead in the American League Championship Series.

The game seemed all but over when Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton continued his October dominance with a three-run home run in the sixth inning to put the Bronx Bombers ahead, 6-2.

It was anything but over, though.

The Guardians put runners on the corners with none out in the seventh, prompting Aaron Boone to go with Clay Holmes a little over 24 hours after he allowed the walk-off home run in Game 3. It again didn’t go well, as three runs came across thanks to back-to-back doubles from Jose Ramirez and Josh Naylor. 

Mark Leiter Jr. entered the game and cleaned up the mess, but in the eighth, the Game 3 hero, David Fry, tied it with a slow dribbler that neither Leiter nor Anthony Rizzo could handle.

With a save situation nonexistent for Cleveland, they brought in Emmanuel Clase, whose postseason woes continued. The Yankees put runners on second and third to start the inning, and Alex Verdugo and Gleyber Torres then each delivered an RBI single. 

Clase now has eight earned runs this postseason after allowing just five in the entire regular season.

GUARDIANS CLOSER EMMANUEL CLASE SHOWS OFF ACCOLADES RIGHT AFTER BLOWING SAVE TO YANKEES IN ALCS

Tommy Khanle came on for the save, but issued a walk and a bloop single with a walk to put the winning run at the plate. However, he retired the next two batters for the save.

The Yankees got things started with a loud bang early, as Juan Soto blasted a two-run homer before an out was even recorded. The Guardians got one back in the bottom half of the inning, but Austin Wells delivered with a solo shot in the second.

The Yankees are now one win away from clinching their first pennant since 2009 — the Guardians need to win the next three, including two in the Bronx — to advance.

Game 5 is Saturday night at 8:08 p.m. in Cleveland. Carlos Rodon will look to send the Yankees to the World Series, while Tanner Bibee will look to send the Guardians back to New York.

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