Yankees are on one crazy playoff ride, and their next stop might be World Series

CLEVELAND – Another wild playoff ride had just ended at Progressive Field, and the Yankees somehow emerged on the brink of a World Series appearance.

“The emotions are true roller coaster,’’ said Tommy Kahnle, after securing the 27 ^th out of an 8-6 victory against the Cleveland Guardians in a turbulent Game 4 of the AL Championship Series.

“We’ve had plenty of crazy games with Cleveland in the postseason,’’ said Kahnle. “I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s another one (Saturday).’’

The expanded field of Yankee contributions started Friday with Gleyber Torres (single) getting on base (again) in front of Juan Soto's first inning, two-run homer.

Dropped to the No. 8 lineup spot, Austin Wells broke an 0-for-21 postseason slide with a solo homer, ahead of Giancarlo Stanton's latest October moment - a three-run shot in the sixth, his fourth home run in eight 2024 postseason games.

Carlos Rodon is due to start Game 5 here against Cleveland’s Tanner Bibee, but the bullpens – big parts of which are operating on fumes for both clubs – might settle it again.

Only this time, the Yankees have the advantage of being a win away from their first AL pennant since 2009, and they’ve had the better closer in October.

Yankees escape with a wild Game 4 win

The heavily worked Luke Weaver was an emergency-only option in Game 4, and Yankees manager Aaron Boone was one batter away from reluctantly pulling that lever.

But after the Yankees scored twice in the ninth off Emmanuel Clase, Cleveland’s world-class closer who has stumbled this postseason, Kahnle held the line.

Cleveland had runners at first and second with one out, but Kahnle retired Bo Naylor on a flyout and Brayan Rocchio on a grounder and the Yanks celebrated a three games-to-one lead.

Of course, the Yanks were one strike away from a 3-0 lead in Thursday’s Game 3, only to watch Jhonkensy Noel crash a game-tying homer off Weaver in the ninth and David Fry follow with a walk-off blast in the 10 ^th off Clay Holmes.

“The veterans in the room, they show us how to flush it,’’ said Kahnle. “Obviously, you’re going through big emotions after the loss, but you’ve got to remember you’ve got a game tomorrow.’’

To get to Saturday needing one win to secure that elusive pennant, the Yankees used power and a patchwork of relievers – and who had Mark Leiter Jr. being right in the thick of it all?

“Boonie kept telling me to be ready for anything,’’ said Leiter Jr., just activated for Game 4 due to Ian Hamilton’s calf injury in Game 3.

Yankees find a route to victory at Cleveland

Leiter Jr. hadn’t pitched in a game since Sept. 29, and his 4.98 ERA in 21 games as a Yankee had kept him off the postseason roster until Friday.

Even as the heavily used Holmes (he’s pitched in all eight 2024 postseason games) faltered and Leiter Jr. arrived in the seventh to protect a 6-5 lead, “we had a long way to go to get to the finish line,’’ said Boone.

“And frankly, I wasn’t sure how we were going to get there.’’

They nearly didn’t make it.

Noel flirted with a go-ahead three run homer off Leiter, but the ball landed in left fielder Alex Verdugo’s glove.

In the eighth, Leiter Jr. botched a comebacker that brought home the tying run, but he still struck out Josh Naylor with two on to keep it tied entering the ninth.

Soon, Anthony Rizzo, Anthony Volpe and Gleyber Torres delivered singles off Clase, with an 0.61 ERA in the regular season, and the Yanks had a two-run lead.

Aaron Judge has been here once before, a game away from the World Series. If the Yankees’ captain was imaging the next champagne party…well he wasn’t going there. Not yet.

“Definitely a big win,’’ said Judge. “And on to the next one.’’

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Yankees are on one crazy playoff ride, and their next stop might be World Series