CLEVELAND — One strike away from taking a series lead that would have left them one win away from the ALCS, the Yankees instead saw their patchwork bullpen go up in flames in the bottom of the ninth of a 6-5 loss to the Guardians.
Clarke Schmidt allowed a game-winning, two-run single with the bases loaded to Oscar Gonzalez, and after Saturday’s Game 3 ALDS loss, now the Yankees must win Game 4 at Progressive Field with Gerrit Cole on the mound to keep their season alive.
“Tonight, obviously, was a gut-wrenching ending,” Aaron Boone said. “But we’ve got to get over it. Now, we’re obviously up against it, but I still love our chances. Got Gerrit going [Sunday]. Got to go take care of business and try and get back to New York.”
They’re in the spot largely because the shorthanded bullpen couldn’t finish the victory, as Boone called upon Schmidt to replace Wandy Peralta in the bottom of the ninth instead of Clay Holmes.
Clarke Schmidt only can watch after Oscar Gonzalez hits the game-winning two-run single in the ninth inning of the Yankees’ 6-5 Game 3 loss to the Guardians. Corey Sipkin
Boone said he didn’t want to use Holmes, who threw 16 pitches in Friday’s win, on back-to-back nights, saying he would be putting the right-hander “in jeopardy” and that Holmes was “compromised,” since he just came off the injured list due to a strained shoulder.
Holmes, though, indicated he was ready to pitch.
The results without him were catastrophic.
Up by two runs to start the inning, Peralta got Luke Maile for the first out.
Myles Straw then dumped a hit into left off Peralta that fell in front of Oswaldo Cabrera, and he reached second base when Isiah Kiner-Falefa threw to third base instead of second.
Steven Kwan singled to left to put runners on the corners and the Yankees turned to Schmidt, who allowed an RBI single to Amed Rosario and Jose Ramirez reached on an infield hit to load the bases for Josh Naylor.
Wandy Peralta exits the game with one out in the ninth inning in the Yankees’ 6-5 loss to the Guardians in Game 3 of the ALDS. APSchmidt recovered and got Naylor swinging.
Gonzalez came up and hit a two-run single up the middle on a 1-2 slider to win it and set off pandemonium in Cleveland.
“We’ve got a lot of guys in this room that have played in a lot of elimination games,’’ Aaron Judge said. “The season is on the line. We can’t look into this too much. … We can’t sit here and sulk.”
Judge got the Yankees started by snapping his 0-for-9 streak in the series with a two-run blast to center that tied the game at 2-2 in the third and Cabrera put the Yankees ahead with a two-run homer of his own in the fifth.
Both homers came off of right-hander Triston McKenzie, who tossed seven one-hit shutout innings against the Yankees in Cleveland on July 3 and six shutout innings in the wild-card round against Tampa Bay.
The Guardians celebrate after their Game 3 comeback win. Corey Sipkin The Yankees seemed to be in trouble early on, as Luis Severino got off to a shaky start in his first postseason start in three years, allowing a run in each of the first two innings.
The Yankees tied it in the third on a mammoth 449-foot homer to center by Judge for his first hit of the postseason.
Cabrera gave the Yankees their first lead with a two-run shot of his own — 409 feet — in the top of the fifth, finishing it off with an emphatic bat flip.
Severino, who threw 56 pitches and allowed six hits by the end of the second inning, settled down and retired 13 straight before Kiner-Falefa couldn’t throw out Andres Gimenez after making the stop to his right.
The single extended the inning and Gabriel Arias followed with a base hit through the right side of the infield to put runners on the corners — and end Severino’s night.
Oswaldo Cabrera celebrates with Aaron Judge after belting a two-run homer in the fifth inning of the Yankees’ loss. Judge also hit a two-run homer early in the game. Corey SipkinSeverino was replaced by right-hander Lou Trivino, as Cleveland went to its bench and replaced Hedges with lefty-swinging Will Brennan.
Brennan singled to right to make it 4-3.
Straw came up and hit a liner that Gleyber Torres snared for the third out to preserve the Yankees’ lead.
Harrison Bader’s second home run of the series — this one with one out in the seventh — put the Yankees up 5-3.
Jonathan Loaisiga got the first two outs of the bottom of the seventh before Ramirez beat out an infield hit on a slow chopper to third.
The Yankees went to Peralta to face Naylor.
Peralta fell behind 2-0, but struck him out to end the inning and retired the first five batters he faced before stumbling in the ninth.
“It stings right now and it’s raw,’’ Boone said. “You’re frustrated because you’re so close to the end there, but we’ve got to turn the page. … We’ve got Gerrit going [Sunday]. We expect to come out here and win.”
