The Yankees were one out away from taking a 3-0 series lead, but a blown save allowed the Guardians to take Game 3 on Thursday night in Cleveland.
Here are some notes on what happened in the ninth inning and beyond…
Luke Weaver talks blown save
Weaver has been everything for the Yankees ever since he won the closer’s job after Clay Holmes could no longer do it, and that includes the postseason. Entering Thursday, Weaver was 4-for-4 in save opportunities and allowed only one run in seven innings pitched.
The only run allowed was a solo shot to Jose Ramirez in Game 2 in a non-save situation.
But after getting out of a jam in the eighth caused by Tommy Kahnle, the lanky right-hander saw himself one out away from securing the win. Lane Thomas fought back from an 0-2 count and doubled to keep the game alive.
Jhoensky Noel, the rookie pinch-hitting, came to bat to save the Guardians’ season. And on a 1-1 changeup, Noel sent the ball flying 404 feet to tie the game at 5-5.
“Big at-bat from Noel. Just threw the worst pitch of the outing and he was ready to aggressively swing. He got it and so I just have to flush it,” Weaver said after the game. “Feel like it’s coming out good, body feels good. Just gotta put this one to the side.”
Weaver said that he thinks he tried to do too much against Thomas after getting ahead 0-2 and the moment started to get a little big.
Weaver later said, “Tonight just didn’t have the execution in the moment that I needed to but I’m in a good spot and I feel like we’re playing well.”
On the changeup he served up to Noel, Weaver said that the ball slipped out of his hand.
“The ball slipped out of my hand a little bit. It didn’t have the conviction through the pitch. The ball just came out different,” Weaver explained. “Sometimes you get away with it…it just happened to float in the heart of the zone. Not a moment you need to do that. After a yanked fastball you’re trying to center yourself back in the zone with a good pitch down in the zone and just got stuck in between.”
Anthony Rizzo’s health and defensive miscues
Rizzo did not start Game 3, as manager Aaron Boone went with utility infielder Jon Berti against the left-handed Matt Boyd.
While it was an adventure at time for Berti, he got through most of the game without a crucial mistake. Boone would later use Rizzo as a defensive replacement in the later innings and the veteran first baseman was not as crisp.
Rizzo allowed a ball to go under his glove when he broke to his left, which resulted in a double in the eighth inning. A Ramirez grounder hit right at him in the ninth inning ate Rizzo up, allowing the Guardians’ third baseman to reach on an error.
Although Weaver would get a double play to erase the runner, Rizzo admits that he needs to make that play.
“[Ramirez] top-spun it and it kicked up and went to chest it and it just bounced away,” Rizzo explained. “It’s a tougher play but it’s got to be made. Luke bailed me out with a double play there. It was a tough hop that kicked up right off my chest.”
“Yeah, the ones that in between hop where you’re trying to smother it a little bit and then the ball
down the line, I think just beat him to the spot a little bit,” Boone said of Rizzo’s fielding miscues.
Prior to Game 3, Boone was about to pencil Rizzo in the lineup but said he wanted to be mindful to give his infielder, who is still recovering from two fractured fingers, some time off his feet. Rizzo said he still feels ok but conceded that Thursday was tougher than other days.
“Today was going to be a little challenging making sure I was right at the right time but overall responding very well,” Rizzo said.
When he was asked if he needed extra time, the first baseman paused before saying “No, I felt ready to go for sure. Whether it was starting or off the bench I was definitely ready to go.”
We’ll have to see if he’s in the starting lineup on Friday for Game 4.
Physical, mental health of Yankees bullpen
The Yankees bullpen has been great. Weaver and Holmes have been a big part of that, allowing just two runs between the entire postseason entering Thursday.
However, questions may need to be raised about how often certain pitchers are being used especially Weaver. Including Game 3, Weaver has pitched in all seven postseason games for New York this year.
“I mean, playoffs,” Boone answered when asked if Weaver is tiring. “I thought overall he was pretty sharp. Credit to them for getting into a pitch. Yeah, it’s that time of year. You try and preserve as many bullets as you can, and I thought overall he threw the ball pretty well, and they got him right there.”
Weaver did say he was feeling good after Game 3 but with the Yankees playing two days in a row coming up, it’s likely New York’s closer won’t be available.
That’s unfortunate considering Ian Hamilton, one of Boone’s better middle relievers, had to leave with left calf tightness — Boone did not have an update on Hamilton when he spoke after Game 3.
And then there’s Holmes. Although he’s excelled not in the closer’s role this postseason, he did give up the winning blast in the 10th inning.
Will that homer cause Holmes to go into a spiral? Rizzo doesn’t see that happening.
“He’s been so good for us,” Rizzo said of Holmes. “He’s been so good at being able to bounce back, too. You don’t see him moping around. He gave it up and he’ll be ready for tomorrow.”
Yankees and Guardians meet again Friday night for Game 4.
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