The Guardians had nearly the exact scenario they would have wanted on Thursday night. A two-run lead in the 8th, 2 outs and their lock-down All-Star closer coming to the mound, albeit with a man on first. Personally, I was going to get the match-up I have been begging for all season. Judge vs. Clase. Clash of the Titans.
But that clash would seemingly end in tragedy, as Aaron Judge lasered a 1-2 cutter on the outside corner narrowly over the right-field wall at Progressive Field. The two-run shot would tie the game and quiet what was an exuberant Guardians’ home crowd just a few seconds earlier. Even then, the stark turn of events wasn’t over as the tied game wouldn’t stay tied for long. Giancarlo Stanton followed with a home run of his own off of Clase to right-center. 4-3 Yankees. Exuberance turned into quiet turned into shock and silence.
And for good reason. The Guardians had played their game all night. The pitching had lined up perfectly. Matthew Boyd gave us five. Cade Smith was dominant in the 6th. Tim Herrin managed the 7th. Outside of a 2-out walk from Hunter Gaddis, the best bullpen in baseball looked like it was going in for the kill. The Yankees looked like they had fallen into the Guardians’ bullpen trap, but now, they somehow came out of that trap looking like the predators instead of the prey.
It wasn’t supposed to go down like this. How did fate turn so quickly? Especially when there was every reason to be confident. Facing the probable AL MVP or not, Clase is a bad dude on the hill. No one in baseball is harder to square up. How on God’s green Earth did the Yankees square him up twice? In the same inning! In back-to-back at-bats! For the lead!
To their credit, both Judge and Stanton had put great swings on really good pitches, letting the ball travel, staying short and going the other way. It’s not like Clase threw a couple of meatballs down the middle. Those guys are really big and really strong and really good. You can hate them, but the Yankees are really talented.
So in the moment, maybe this Yankees team really is insurmountable. More talented. Maybe the Guardians really are just outgunned.
Bleak turned to bleaker when the Yankees added an insurance run in the 9th. Bleaker turned to bleakest when Josh Naylor grounded into a double play to empty the bases with two outs in the bottom of the 9th. The Guards were down to their last out.
Remember the Lane Thomas who hit .148 with no home runs in his first 28 games as a Guardian? I guarantee there is someone out there reading this right now who was advocating for the Guardians to cut Thomas because you thought he was a lost cause. Even more of you saying “Why’d they get this guy? He stinks!” Calling him “Lame Thomas” and stuff. Never mind the 3+ year track record Thomas had built up as a legit hitter with the Nationals. Yeah, you know who you are.
But this isn’t a moment for me to be belligerent with, you, the reader. But that is only because that version of Lane Thomas didn’t show up in the 9th with two outs. That version of Lane Thomas hasn’t shown up all post-season. After an excellent at-bat, Thomas scorched a double off the left-field wall. The Guards were on life support but weren’t dead yet.
And then, Christmas came in October… and it was of the big variety.
That’s right. The same Jhonkensy Noel who hadn’t had a hit in his first 14 at-bats of the playoffs. Who looked lost, flailing away at wayward breaking pitches not just for most of the post-season, but most of September. At that moment, Big Christmas connected.
NASA reports the ball the Noel hit just crossed paths with the International Space Station.
Credit goes to manager Stephen Vogt. Vogt has been questioned for some of his personnel decisions over the course of this playoffs, but more often than not, he sure seems to get it right. Noel was a pinch hitter for Will Brennan. Vogt spurned conventional wisdom, calling on the right-handed Noel to face right-handed pitching Luke Weaver. Vogt made the decision because of Noel’s power potential- his ability to tie the game with one swing, and that’s exactly what Noel did.
After a scoreless 10th from Pedro Avila (cast away by the Padres earlier this season, superb with the Guardians ever since), who would have thought Bo Naylor– hit-less in the playoffs- similarly wayward as Noel had been- would start a rally? B. Naylor had his best swing of the playoffs, a single to right field.
Brayan Rocchio gave himself up, and in the process nearly beat out a bunt single. You had to feel pretty good about the Guards’ chances with Steven Kwan at the plate with an out and a runner on second. The Guardians win with a single and is there anyone in the sport more likely than Steven Kwan to hit a single?
But the pendulum swung again with Kwan grounding out. Two outs, Naylor on third. At worst, Hosey’s leading off the 11th if we can hold them down again. But at best, David Fry was coming to the plate right now.
New York Yankees… meet All-Star David Fry.
Fry is another guy, like Thomas, like Noel, like Bo, like Avila, who has been doubted at times. People called his All-Star appearance a fluke, a hot couple of months. As one of his earliest advocates, I’ve reveled in calling him All-Star David Fry whenever appropriate this post-season. And it has been appropriate a lot. I can’t wait to see what this guy can do with two healthy elbows next season. If healthy, he can still hit home runs and bunt in runs. But he will also be able to play right, first, third, or catch. Heck, he’s versatile enough, that I’m considering writing him in on November 5th.
Now, this is all just one game. The Guardians are still down 2-1 in this first-to-four-wins series. I know that. This series is far from a sure thing. But in the blissful aftermath of this victory, as I type this late on Thursday night, none of that matters. At this moment, all that came before it- all of the drama- good and bad was just so much fun.
That’s what this team has been. That’s what this season has been. That’s what these playoffs have been. They’ve been the roller-coaster I just described. Hope and confidence. A bad break. A surprise twist. Utter despair. Complete jubilation.
You know what they haven’t done though? They haven’t ended yet. And just about every time it seems like it might come to an end, it hasn’t. I say let the doubters keep doubting. Whether it’s Fry, or Lane or the umpteenth time I have to hear someone in the national media talk about how the national media needs to talk about Jose more rather than just actually talking about him more. Let them keep doing their thing. I don’t know where this ride ends, I like just know that I’m happy it hasn’t stopped yet. Who knows where it ends?
Of course, I want the Guardians to win. Nothing this baseball season would make me happier. But man… this October has already been worth the price of admission. Whether we hoist the trophy at the end or not, this has been a blast… a blast almost as big as the one off of Noel’s bat tonight.
What’s tomorrow going to bring? Recent evidence would suggest its headed towards more fun… I hope its more fun.
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