Ron Darling's blatant Giancarlo Stanton jinx sums up Yankees' lost ALCS momentum

The New York Yankees were "Lane Thomas spitting on a perfect 2-2 changeup" away from taking a 3-0 lead in the American League Championship Series against the Cleveland Guardians. Of course, that did not happen, things spiraled significantly, and all of a sudden, "Luis Gil in Game 4" sounded more like a threat than an experiment.

The Yankees could regroup in this series, but their momentary magic is certainly gone. They're going to have to win some real gut check games if they're going to advance to the World Series after being an inch or two away from coasting through the pennant's finish line.

Want a minor moment that exemplifies that swerve towards disaster? Look no further than Giancarlo Stanton's eighth-inning at-bat on Thursday vs. his fourth-inning appearance in Game 4.

On Thursday, Stanton socked the go-ahead home run that nearly secured the entire series against Emmanuel Clase, but ultimately didn't. That game went sour, poisoning the well of the entire series.

Just about 24 hours later, but a world away, Stanton strode to the plate against left-hander Erik Sabrowski, who he took very deep in Game 1 of this very series. With the 2-2 pitch coming, TBS announcer Ron Darling noted that Stanton had not struck out in his past 27 plate appearances. On Thursday, Stanton felt larger than life, impervious to jinxes. By Friday? Strike three looking.

Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton strikes out in ALCS Game 4 after Ron Darling jinx

The whole booth laughed, of course. Yuk, yuk, yuk. This is what they want. A tight series -- with the Yankees winning, of course, to face off with either the Mets or Dodgers.

Only it doesn't work that way. These Yankees have never taken a playoff punch and survived. These Yankees routinely dismiss the AL Central, but they've never faced these Guardians (and Stephen Vogt) in a seven-gamer.

If the Yankees are going to persevere in this set and advance to the World Series, they're going to need to fight the demons -- the broadcast booth, the 20th anniversary of the 2004 Red Sox, a fleet of online trolls claiming that no team has ever faced an "easier" World Series path. So far, they're battling, but it's clear that the challenge the universe is giving them is now a degree tougher.