The Guardians know how to turn small hits into big wins.
Oscar Gonzalez singled in the go-ahead run, Cleveland’s second lucky hit of the 10th inning, and the Guardians overcame a two-run deficit to beat the New York Yankees 4-2 on Friday night.
With this, they tied the American League division series at one victory per team. Not bad for a team that had only one extra-base hit in the deciding inning, a double by Josh Naylor.
“It’s not an easy way to win, but that doesn’t mean it’s not possible,” Cleveland manager Terry Francona said.
Another Dominican, José Ramírez, opened the tenth chapter against Jameson Taillon with a lob that fell right in front of Venezuelan left fielder Oswaldo Cabrera for a double.
Ramirez picked up the pace and headed into third base after third baseman Josh Donaldson hit a wide throw to second for an error.
Gonzalez, whose home run in the 15th inning of last Saturday’s game completed the sweep of Tampa Bay in the wild-card series, this time hit a short drive to right field off Taillon, who appeared for the first time in relief after 143 starts in the greater.
Cleveland, 29th among the 30 major league clubs in home runs during the regular season, again showed that big hits aren’t the only way to win.
“We’re just looking for a way to get on base,” Naylor said. “Whether it’s a short shot, a power single, a double, whatever. We work hard to make things happen on the field and to put pressure on the opposing defense.”
Emmanuel Clase retired Kyle Higashioka with a line drive to Ramírez to get the last out of the eighth after James Karinchak walked the bases loaded.
Class took the win with a job of two innings and a third. He combined with Trevor Stephan and Karinchak to cover a one-hit 4 1/3 innings of relief.
“They gave me confidence and I knew how to respond… I kept the same mentality, I remembered when I was a starter in the minors,” said Clase. “It’s the same, only it’s a bigger game, with a little more intensity.”
Thus, Cleveland cut a streak of six losses against the Yankees in postseason duels.
Guardians relievers have pitched 17 2/3 innings in these playoffs.
The series moves to Cleveland, where Game 3 will be played this Saturday. There will be no rest as Thursday’s game was postponed to Friday due to rain.
“There’s a good starting rotation and a great bullpen. They have a very complicated repertoire,” acknowledged New York slugger Aaron Judge, who went 0-for-5 with four strikeouts.
In the series, he is 0-for-8 with seven strikeouts and one walk. And in three playoff series against Cleveland, he has gone 2-for-37 with 27 strikeouts, including all four playoff games in which he has struck out four.
For the Guardians, the Dominicans Amed Rosario 5-2 with a run scored and an RBI, Ramírez 5-1 with a run scored, González 5-2 with a run scored and an RBI. The Venezuelan Andrés Giménez 4-1 with an RBI.
For the Yankees, the Venezuelans Gleyber Torres 5-2 with a run scored, Cabrera 5-0.
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Guardians beat Yankees in 10 innings; match series