CLEVELAND (AP) — It took the New York Yankees almost 5 hours on the sector, carried them from Wednesday to Thursday and September into October to finish the sweep.

They stumbled into the 2020 postseason. They’re standing tall now.

DJ LeMahieu’s tiebreaking single within the ninth inning off nearer Brad Hand despatched the Yankees into the AL Division Sequence – and a matchup with rival Tampa Bay – after a wild 10-9 win over the Cleveland Indians early Thursday within the longest nine-inning sport in main league historical past.

”I am 47 years previous. I’ve watched lots of baseball. I’ve watched lots of my dad’s playoffs video games, been in some actually huge video games, and I do not know the way you high that one – the forwards and backwards, the quantity of massive performs,” Yankees supervisor Aaron Boone mentioned. ”Tonight simply had that feeling that these guys weren’t going to be denied.

”They weren’t going to lose.”

At Four hours, 50 minutes – even with out two rain delays totaling one other 76 minutes – it was draining. It is no marvel after Aroldis Chapman obtained the ultimate out properly after 1 a.m. that the Yankees barely celebrated on the sector. They noticed COVID protocols and shared some fist bumps as they left.

”You do not have to pour champagne on one another to understand what an epic sport that was and the truth that we’re shifting on,” Boone mentioned.

The Yankees will play the Rays in a best-of-five Division Sequence subsequent week in San Diego. New York went 2-Eight throughout a testy season collection with top-seeded Tampa Bay, which received the AL East by seven video games over the second-place Yankees.

”They have been one of the best group in our league all yr, so we’re excited to play one of the best group and hopefully can have our method with them,” Boone mentioned.

LeMahieu, the AL batting champion throughout the shortened, 60-game common season, grounded his hit into middle discipline to attain Gio Urshela, who hit a go-ahead grand slam earlier and made an enormous defensive play at third base.

”That was among the finest video games I’ve performed in my life,” Urshela mentioned.

Story continues

Down 9-8, the Yankees tied it within the ninth on Gary Sanchez’s sacrifice fly off Hand, who went 16 of 16 on save tries throughout the season however was stung by a stroll.

The Yankees have been staggering final week. However their heavy-hitting lineup obtained rolling over two nights in chilly, largely empty Progressive Subject. New York pounded Cleveland ace Shane Bieber within the opener and now the Yankees, who hit seven homers within the collection, have discovered their swing because the calendar flips to the month that defines them.

”We most likely caught folks’s consideration,” Boone mentioned. ”We have not completed something but. This was only a stepping stone.”

Chapman obtained the final six outs for the win, aided by a spectacular play from Urshela to start an inning-ending double play within the eighth that saved it a one-run sport. The Indians obtained the potential tying run to first within the ninth on a strikeout handed ball with two outs earlier than Chapman struck out pinch-hitter Austin Hedges.

For the Indians, a season of adversity ends with extra heartache. They twice rallied to tie the Yankees and took the lead within the eighth on Cesar Hernandez’s bloop RBI single off Chapman solely to have the dependable Hand give it away.

Cleveland, which hasn’t received the World Sequence since 1948, has misplaced eight straight postseason video games and dropped 10 consecutive elimination video games – a serious league document – extending again to the 1997 Sequence.

”We had many alternative issues and lots of obstacles,” mentioned appearing supervisor Sandy Alomar Jr., who crammed in whereas Terry Francona handled well being points. ”However this group stayed collectively – by any means. We had an eight-game dropping streak, they got here again.

”Right now’s sport mirrored how a lot this group grinds and the way a lot they combat.”

Sanchez, benched in Sport 1, had a two-run homer and Giancarlo Stanton related on a solo shot for New York, which was down 4-Zero within the first.

The Yankees have been two totally different groups this season as they performed significantly better at house within the Bronx than on the street, going 11-18.

They entered this expanded postseason as a No. 5 seed and never scaring anybody, however now they have momentum.

”Once we’re proper,” Boone mentioned earlier than Sport 2, ”it would not matter the place we’re.”

Down 8-6 and their postseason in jeopardy of a fast ending, the Indians tied it within the seventh on pinch-hitter Jordan Luplow’s two-out, two-run double off right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga following a gutty transfer by Alomar.

With two on, Alomar despatched Luplow to the plate as a substitute of Josh Naylor, who grew to become the primary participant in main league historical past to get 5 hits in his first 5 postseason plate appearances.

Luplow smoked a ball to middle that went over Aaron Hicks’ head and introduced in two, sending Cleveland’s bench right into a frenzy.

A two-time All-Star, Sanchez was benched for the opener after hitting .147 over 60 video games, and he batted ninth for the primary time in his profession in Sport 2.

However he rewarded Boone’s religion by connecting within the sixth inning off Indians rookie Triston McKenzie with a wind-aided shot to proper to tie it 6-all.

”He is proven me lots the final couple of days,” Boone mentioned of his embattled catcher.

The Indians head into an offseason of uncertainty.

All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor went 1 for Eight within the collection and may need performed his final sport in Cleveland. The Indians have him underneath management for yet one more season, however he is turned down a number of contract affords and the membership could haven’t any selection however to commerce him earlier than he turns into a free agent.

RECORD STORE

Indians pitchers walked 12, tied for probably the most in any postseason sport. The 19 mixed walks by each groups additionally matched a postseason mark. … The longest nine-inning sport within the common season lasted 4:45, the longest earlier within the postseason took 4:37. … Urshela is the third Yankees participant to hit a go-ahead grand slam within the postseason, becoming a member of Gil McDougald (1951) and Tino Martinez (1998).

ANOTHER CHANCE

Relying on what occurs with Francona, Alomar may very well be Cleveland’s subsequent supervisor. The previous Indians All-Star catcher has been a managerial candidate elsewhere up to now, however by no means felt any of the alternatives have been real.

”A number of the interviews have been, to me, token interviews,” he mentioned. ”If any person’s , they’ll name and we’ll speak. Nevertheless it’s not like I am pushing myself or selling myself to be a supervisor.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Indians: C Roberto Perez left with a bruised proper hand after being hit by a pitch within the seventh.

UP NEXT

Yankees: Some relaxation earlier than the ALDS begins on Monday.

Indians: A probably turbulent offseason of main choices on Lindor, Francona’s well being and maybe a reputation change.

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