Listen to John Sterling call of Juan Soto home run, Yankees reaching World Series

The New York Yankees faced mounting odds to reach their World Series destiny when both Jhonkensy Noel and David Fry mashed two-run home runs late in Game 3 to reinsert the Cleveland Guardians into the narrative.

Just 48 hours later, though, everything had changed for the better, and legendary voice of the Yankees John Sterling was at the mic in The Land, resuming his rightful position as the team's chief celebrator.

Sterling walked away from his post suddenly in April, citing the proper timing and a diminished ability to do the job day in and day out, through long roadtrips and baking hot summer homestands. He is 86 years old, after all.

But the Yankees' playoff run? That was a different beast entirely. With the task at hand confined to just one month, Sterling saw fit to return to his perch for what he believed would be a special October. So far, he's been proven right.

On Saturday night, he got to call the second extra-innings homer in a postseason series-clinching win in Yankees history when Juan Soto connected off Hunter Gaddis. The first time it happened? His manager Aaron Boone to send the 2003 Yankees to the World Series, of course.

Yankees icon John Sterling calls New York's return to the World Series, Juan Soto home run

With two outs and a runner on second in the Guardians' half of the frame, Sterling could surely feel another win warble looming.

This time, it was another Game 3 nemesis, Lane Thomas, who tried to poke a deep fly ball to the opposite field off Luke Weaver with two strikes. Instead of finding the seats, it settled in Soto's glove, fitting perfectly in the webbing of the perfect player.

Sterling doesn't know how many of these he has left in him, but he made this one count, as the Yankees returned to the World Series for the first time since 2009.

Yankee fans now have five days off to luxuriate in the victory before it's back to work against either the Dodgers or Mets.

Hopefully, if the universe is just, Sterling will have four more chances to unleash his best vibrato before riding into one final championship sunset.