The top Yankees victories of the 2010s

3. vs. Cleveland Indians (October 8, 2017 @ Yankee Stadium)– It was the first ALDS game at Yankee Stadium in five years and for the Yankees, it was do-or-die time. They were taking on the defending American League Champions and had dropped the first two games of the series in Cleveland, the latter of which was a heartbreak. The Yankees blew an 8-3 lead thanks in large part to a botched decision by Joe Girardi to not challenge a hit-by-pitch play that occurred in the bottom of the sixth inning. It led to the Indians pulling to within one run on a Francisco Lindor grand slam. The Tribe tied it all up in the bottom of the eighth on a Jay Bruce home run and won the game in the 13th on a walk-off double by Yan Gomes.

With their backs to the wall, the Yankees’ fate was in the hands of Masahiro Tanaka. With little to no margin for error, Tanaka was locked in. He sliced and diced and confused Indians’ hitters all night long with his pitching. It was a good thing that he was on too because the Yankee offense was doing nothing against Cleveland starter Carlos Carrasco. The game had turned into a fierce pitcher’s duel. The Indians had a chance to get on the board in the fourth when with one out, Jason Kipnis tripled to right field on a misplayed ball by Aaron Judge. That brought up the dangerous Jose Ramirez to the plate. Tanaka rose to the challenge however and ended up striking him out both him and Jay Bruce to get out of trouble.

In the top of the sixth with one out and one on, Tanaka faced Lindor, one of the Game 2 heroes for the Indians. Lindor hit a towering fly ball to right field. Aaron Judge retreated to the warning track and camped under it. He took a little leap off of his feet and stretched his arm up in full extension as he caught the ball right over the wall. The crowd erupted as Judge threw the ball back into the infield. Judge had just robbed Lindor of a two-run home run to keep the game scoreless, and it’d remain that way until the bottom of the seventh. Former Yankee Andrew Miller, who had only given up one home run all year to a left-handed batter, was on the mound for Cleveland.

Yankee first baseman Greg Bird, who had missed much of the season with an injury, and most of his career with injuries, crushed a 1-1 pitch deep into the second deck in right field for a home run to finally light up the scoreboard. Yankee Stadium was shaking as a pumped-up Bird rounded the bases and returned to the dugout to be congratulated by his teammates. Although they had the lead, there were still six more outs to go and with the Indians, no lead was safe.

The Yankees relieved Tanaka with David Robertson in the top of the eighth. Robertson retired outfielder Austin Jackson on a fly out for the first out of the inning but then walked Michael Brantley. Not taking any chances this time around, Girardi went to his closer Aroldis Chapman, to get the final five outs. Chapman proceeded to strike out both Yan Gomes and Gio Urshela to end the inning.

The Yankees wasted an opportunity to add some insurance in the bottom of the eighth, which led to a tense top of the ninth. Chapman struck out Lindor for the first out but then allowed back-to-back singles to Kipnis and Ramirez. That brought up Jay Bruce with one out. Bruce had struck out three times against Tanaka and Chapman wasn’t going to let him make contact either. He struck him out swinging for the second out. That brought Carlos Santana, the last hope for Cleveland. Santana made Chapman work and ran the count full to 3-2. But on the seventh pitch of the at-bat, Chapman got him to hit a fly ball to center, which was caught by Aaron Hicks, to end the game. The Yankees had won the game, 1-0, and trailed 2-1 in the best-of-five series.

Analysis: I was at this game in person and it’s my favorite game I’ve ever attended. The intensity and aura surrounding the stadium was indescribable, you had to be there to see it. I was watching my team try and hold off elimination and I sure am glad that I witnessed it. I love these kinds of games and the story behind it was intriguing. It was my first baseball playoff game and it’s something me and 50,000 other Yankee fans will cherish forever. Great game.