Pinch-hitter Lane Thomas on Tuesday delivered a tiebreaking double to spark a six-run 12th inning as the Cleveland Guardians outlasted the New York Yankees 9-5 in the longest major-league game so far this season.
“Sometimes that’s all it takes to get something going like that,” said Thomas, who drove in his first run since July 28. “We left some guys on in the game today and maybe just saved it all for one inning.”
Both teams began the night in first place and the tense opener of their three-game series at Yankee Stadium had the feel of a potential playoff preview.
Photo: AFP
Juan Soto and Aaron Judge hit back-to-back homers in the first inning, but Cleveland came right back and the game was tied at 3-3 after four innings.
Despite numerous chances on both sides, neither offense scored again until the 12th.
Thomas was hitting .113 (six for 53) in 16 games with the Guardians when he batted for Bo Naylor leading off the 12th and lined a 2-2 sinker from left-hander Tim Mayza (0-2) into right field to score automatic runner Daniel Schneemann from second.
“I think it was huge for him,” Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said. “Obviously, it’s a huge hit for us. We left a couple of people in scoring position tonight. It was just something that we needed and for him to come though, I know that’s going to be big for him. And it catapulted that huge inning.”
Jose Ramirez, intentionally walked in the 10th, followed with an RBI single off Michael Tonkin. After a walk to Tyler Freeman, David Fry laced a bases-loaded triple that made it 8-3.
“Really cool to see,” Fry said about Thomas’ clutch swing. “I think we were all thinking he was going to do it. It’s all we need. We just need one to kind of let everybody loosen up and get the rest of the big hits.”
Guardians rookie Jhonkensy Noel added an RBI infield single when Tonkin was slow to cover first base.
Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase pitched two innings for the first time this season and retired Alex Verdugo with two on to end the 10th.
Tim Herrin (5-0) was aided by Schneemann’s leaping catch in right field on Austin Wells’ drive and stranded two runners in the 11th.
Scott Barlow allowed Judge’s two-run double before finishing a game that lasted 4 hours, 5 minutes — the longest in the big leagues so far this year.
“What an unbelievable game by both,” Vogt said. “Just one team had to outlast the other and fortunately it was us.”
The Yankees dropped a half-game behind the Orioles atop the American League East after Baltimore beat the New York Mets 9-5 at Citi Field.
Cleveland increased their AL Central lead to 3.5 games over the Kansas City Royals, who lost 9-5 to the Los Angeles Angels, and the Minnesota Twins, who were defeated 7-5 by the San Diego Padres.
Elsewhere on Tuesday, it was:
‧ Astros 5, Red Sox 6
‧ Athletics 0, Rays 1
‧ Blue Jays 10, Reds 3
‧ Braves 3, Phillies 1
‧ Cardinals 2, Brewers 3
‧ Cubs 3, Tigers 1
‧ Dodgers 6, Mariners 3
‧ Giants 4, White Sox 1
‧ Marlins 1, Diamondbacks 3
‧ Nationals 1, Rockies 3
‧ Rangers 0, Pirates 4
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