Daily News

Fry's 2-run homer in 10th sends Guardians to stunning 7-5 win over Yankees, close to 2-1 in ALCS

Fry's 2-run homer in 10th sends Guardians to stunning 7-5 win over Yankees, close to 2-1 in ALCS

CLEVELAND -- Jhonkensy Noel and David Fry delivered clutch performances to keep Cleveland's season alive in Game 3 of the AL Championship Series against the New York Yankees. Noel hit a two-run, pinch-hit homer with two outs in the ninth inning, and Fry followed with a two-run shot in the 10th, propelling the Guardians to a thrilling 7-5 win. The victory closed the Yankees' series lead to 2-1 in the best-of-seven showdown.


Cleveland, fresh off a 92-win season and an AL Central title, faced elimination after Aaron Judge's two-run homer and Giancarlo Stanton's solo shot off All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase gave the Yankees a 4-3 lead in the eighth. However, Noel, nicknamed "Big Christmas," delivered a game-tying homer that sent Progressive Field into a frenzy. Fry then sealed the dramatic comeback with his second key homer of the postseason, sending Cleveland fans into jubilation.


"This is who we are," said first-year Guardians manager Stephen Vogt. "We never quit. Our guys stepped up huge."


The game was a back-and-forth battle. Judge, who had been struggling in the postseason, came through with a critical homer off Clase, his 15th career postseason blast. Stanton's homer soon followed, giving New York a 5-3 lead and seemingly putting Cleveland on the brink of defeat. But the Guardians refused to go down without a fight, as Noel's towering shot tied the game in the ninth.


Fry's 10th-inning homer off Clay Holmes ended a classic contest filled with big moments from both sides. Bo Naylor led off the inning with a single, and Fry, who had hit a Division Series-saving homer earlier in the playoffs, delivered again, sending a 1-2 pitch into the left-field bleachers.


Cleveland starter Matthew Boyd provided much-needed stability, going five innings and giving up two hits while retiring 10 straight batters at one point. Meanwhile, the Yankees got a scare when reliever Ian Hamilton exited in the sixth inning with left calf tightness.


The Guardians will turn to rookie Gavin Williams in Game 4 as they look to even the series. Williams, making his first postseason start, will face Yankees right-hander Luis Gil.


With their season on the line, Cleveland showed resilience, rallying late to extend the series and keep their World Series hopes alive.