Game Recap of Game 3 of the ALCS: The Most Incredible Baseball Game I Have Ever Seen

You never know when you’re about to watch a game you’ll remember forever

Merry Big Christmas, Cleveland.

There have been 121 years of Major League Baseball playoff games. In 121 years, there has never been a game-tying home run from a pinch-hitter with two outs in the ninth inning or later. Until tonight.

We saw a miracle tonight, folks. And, no, I’m not even referring to an Austin Hedges double which somehow also featured in this game. I’m talking about this absolute blast from Jhonkensy Noel, 23 year-old from San Pedro de Macoris in the Dominican Republic, off of Luke Weaver, a player who has been absolutely nails in this playoffs. Lane Thomas continued his clutch playoffs by getting a double before Jhonk’s donk, but the moment was about the First Noel home run in the playoffs.

Now, how did we get here? Well, Matthew Boyd pitched another incredible start for the Guardians, and he should never have to pay for a meal in Cleveland. He went five innings, allowing two hits, three walks, one run and striking out four. He was backed by a two-run home run from rookie Kyle Manzardo, looking not at all overwhelmed by the moment:

Andres Gimenez also added an RBI single to give the Guardians a 3-1 lead:

Then, things went to plan with the bullpen with shutout innings from Cade Smith, Tim Herrin and then two quick outs from Hunter Gaddis in the 8th before he walked Juan Soto. To me, it LOOKED as if the team had a strategy of not giving Soto anything to hit, content to let Emmanuel Clase face Aaron Judge. In hindsight, if my perception is correct, it is perhaps better to have Gaddis go directly at Soto since a solo home run would not have given the Yankees a tie or the lead. But, no matter, Clase has been the best closer in baseball. And he lives for these moments.

Somehow, Clase gave up a two-run home run to Aaron Judge. And, then, even worse, followed it up by giving up a go-ahead solo shot to Giancarlo Stanton. The home run to Judge was on a 1-2 cutter out over the bottom half of the strike zone. I’m still not sure why the team seems to want to attack Judge outside instead of forcing him to beat them inside. But, in the case of Stanton, Clase simply hung a slider.

Hard to imagine a bigger gut-punch to the Guardians and to their fans. When you are up 3-1 with two outs in the eighth and you bring in a closer who has given up only three home runs all season and a mere five runs during the regular season, you should win that game, But, the team headed into the bottom of the eighth down 4-3.

The Guardians fought back! Will Brennan, of all people, pinch-hit and got a double and Steven Kwan walked to get David Fry to the plate, only to see Fry strike out on a pitch about a foot outside. Ah, well, they gave it their best. The Yankees added ANOTHER run after a peculiar throw by Gimenez and attempt to catch by Jose Ramirez in a botched rundown in the top of the ninth, just to add insult to injury.

But, that’s when this became a game that Cleveland fans will always remember, no matter what happens from here. Because, after Jhonk’s tying home run, Pedro Avila entered the game and kept the Yankees off the board, assisted by an incredible defensive play from Gimenez and Josh Naylor (who, to his credit, kept a terrible night at the plate from affecting his performance defensively, here);

In the bottom of the 10th, Bo Naylor led off with a single, his first hit of the playoffs, off of Clay Holmes. Brayan Rocchio sacrificed him to 2nd, but then Kwan bounced out on the first pitch, leaving the Guardians with Bo on third and David Fry batting with two outs. After working the count full, Fry sent one deep into the Cleveland nightsky to send delirious and disbelieving Guardians fans happy:

Something that’s hard to describe is the feeling this game gave us as Cleveland fans. We have experienced PLENTY of sports heartbreak in this town from our teams. Tonight would have been a special kind of pain to lose this game. So, no matter what comes next, I’m always going to love this game for sparing me that feeling for one night.

I can’t tell you what’s going to happen from here, folks. Gavin Williams hasn’t pitched in forever and he’s starting tomorrow. But, no matter what, no one can take this memory from us. And no one should EVER count this team out from anything because they are special in a way very few teams in Major League Baseball have ever been.