After sweeping the doubleheader yesterday, the New York Yankees went into this final game hoping to complete the three-game sweep. With Nestor Cortes coming off of a brilliant start his last time out, the Bronx Bombers were hoping for another lengthy outing as they would have to go into Toronto without an off-day. Going for the Guardians would be Logan Allen, a young left-hander who made his MLB debut last season, and on a warm day in Ohio, it would be a back-and-forth contest.
Despite an early three-run blast from Aaron Judge, the Yankees would fail to complete the sweep as some big home runs from the Guardians coupled with some backbreaking defensive plays late led to a tough Sunday loss.
Costly Errors Burn the Yankees In Series Finale
At first, the New York Yankees looked like they would cruise to another win, as Aaron Judge mashed a ball early to give them a three-run lead. Nestor Cortes was flawless across the first two innings, but a two-run blast from Jose Ramirez changed everything. He would deposit a ball into the left-field stands and pull the Guardians within one, but our own Jose would give the Yankees a run back with a solo blast of his own.
With an easy fourth inning, the Yankees held a 4-2 lead entering the bottom of the fifth, but a Gabriel Arias bomb to right center field and a hit by pitch would knock Nestor Cortes out of the game. Nick Burdi would come in, allowing a game-tying single but preventing Cleveland from grabbing a lead. After exchanging zeroes all game, it would be a familiar face who gave the Guardians a lead in the bottom of the eighth.
Estevan Florial, the former top prospect of the New York Yankees, delivered a go-ahead home run off of Luke Weaver, his second home run against the team this series. In an ironic twist of fate, this blast ended up being the difference, as the Yankees would go on to lose this game by one run. Anthony Volpe would smash an RBI double in the ninth to tie the game up and give the Yankees a chance, and after scoring two runs on an Anthony Rizzo single in the tenth, it looked like this would be a series sweep.
Caleb Ferguson allowed an RBI single to Jose Ramirez to pull the Guardians within one, and then a double play ball from Josh Naylor would only convert one out as Volpe bobbled on the transfer. David Fry would come just short of a game-winning home run, and with runners on second and third with one out, a soft hit grounder to Gleyber Torres would be the backbreaking play for the Bronx Bombers. A ball hit right at Torres with the slow Naylor advancing towards home plate, the wet and slick grass created a poor grip, and a late throw would allow the game to be tied.
One sacrifice fly from Will Brennan later, and the Yankees would walk away from Cleveland with a series win but not a sweep. Certainly an ugly loss, the Yankees will hand the ball to Carlos Rodon on Monday in the hopes of getting back into the win column as they open a series in Toronto.