The New York Yankees wasted what could have been one of the most impressive postseason moments in recent memory.
In the walk-off loss to the Cleveland Guardians in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series, the Yankees made a dramatic comeback against elite closer Emmanuel Clase.
Down 3-1 with two outs in the top of the eighth inning, Clase came into pitch against Yankees superstar Aaron Judge following a walk from fellow superstar Juan Soto.
The Yankees captain seemingly achieved his postseason moment in pinstripes (really the road greys) when he smoked a game-tying, two-run home run off Clase's incredible cutter with two strikes.
It was an incredible moment for Judge, who had been struggling for the majority of the postseason outside of a Game 2 home run at Yankee Stadium.
Immediately following Judge's blast, Giancarlo Stanton also made another postseason impression, driving a 1-2 slider to center field for a solo home run to give the Yankees a 4-3 lead.
With Stanton's blast to take the lead, the Yankees became the first team in MLB postseason history to be trailing by multiple runs in the eighth inning or later but then hit back-to-back home runs to take the lead, according to OptaSTATS.
The @Yankees are the first team in MLB postseason history to be trailing by multiple runs in the 8th inning or later but then hit back-to-back HR to take the lead.
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) October 18, 2024
Though the display of power showed incredible fight from the Yankees sluggers, it wound up being for naught.
Breakout closer Luke Weaver endured his first struggles of the postseason, blowing a 5-3 lead when he gave up a monumental home run to pinch-hitter Jhonkesy Noel with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning.
After the Yankees failed to score in the top of the 10th inning, Clay Holmes gave up the walk-off, two-run homer to David Fry.
The display of fight from the Yankees was encouraging to see considering how lifeless they looked throughout the first seven innings of the game, but making MLB postseason history holds little weight unless it ends in hoisting the World Series trophy.
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