The battle was intense, but Juan Soto won. With a clean and powerful swing, the Dominican sent a ball beyond the right field bleachers and, in the process, led the Yankees to their first World Series after a memorable game that was decided in extra innings.
With the game tied at two runs, Soto accepted a fastball challenge from reliever Hunter Gaddis to hit a home run Saturday night that found two men on base and put the score at 5-2 over the Guardians.
Soto had had an intense at-bat against Gaddis, but after several foul balls, he found the perfect ball – up to the letter – that he connected with all his strength, to the point of staring at the ball before beating his chest in front of the Yankees dugout.
Also Read: Messi Receives Prestigious Prize and Says His Goal Now is to Win the MLS Title with Inter Miami
“It is remarkable, we did a good job and we have the best team in the American League,” said Juan Soto. “Every time you win and take a team to the World Series it is something amazing. We have the talent to go all the way, we’re together, and we all help each other.”
It was for moments like these that the Bombers set their sights on Soto, one of the best players in the Major Leagues who, along with Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, make up the powerful trident that has paved the way for the club in this postseason.
This was Soto’s third homer in the playoffs, but equally important was Stanton’s in the sixth inning to tie a game that looked like Cleveland and that had a star starter in Tanner Bibee.
Stanton has undoubtedly been the key figure for New York in the match against Cleveland, as his four home runs in these games have had a monumental impact, such as the one this Saturday when he rescued the Mules from the abyss.
“Stanton has been our guy,” Soto added. The afternoon was not going to be easy for the Yankees, as the Guardians’s bullpen had been one of the best in the entire contest and in fact, four relievers paraded through the field, keeping the game close and intense until Soto decided to make the Yankees the champions of the American League Championship Series.
It was Soto who got the last out of the game before all of New York exploded in a reaction of joy for the goal they had ahead of them: trying to win their 28th World Series against the winner of the Mets-Dodgers game.
This will be the Yankees’ first trip to the Fall Classic since 2009 when they defeated the Phillies in six games to claim their 27th title. The Yankees’ 14-season pennant drought (1982-95) was the second-longest in team history (1903-20).
An intense duel in the top of the tenth between Hunter Gaddis and Soto had all eyes on him. After five consecutive fouls and being caught by changeups and sliders, a fastball in the middle of the plate ended up flying more than 400 feet off the Dominican’s bat, confirming the Yankees’ victory.
Now the Yankees will wait for the definition of the series between the Dodgers and Mets to begin the World Series, scheduled to start on October 25.
