Pinch-hitter Lane Thomas hit a key double to start a six-run 12th inning, leading the Cleveland Guardians to a 9-5 win over the New York Yankees on Tuesday night in the longest MLB game of the season.
“Sometimes that’s all it takes to get something going like that,” said Thomas, who had driven 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 started the night in first place, and the tense game at Yankee Stadium felt like a possible playoff preview.
Juan Soto and Aaron Judge hit back-to-back homers in the first inning, but Cleveland quickly responded, and the game was tied at 3 after four innings. Despite many chances, neither team scored again until the 12th inning.
Thomas, who had been hitting .113 (6 for 53) in 16 games with the Guardians, batted for Bo Naylor to lead off the 12th. He hit a 2-2 sinker from left-hander Tim Mayza (0-2) into right field to drive in automatic runner Daniel Schneemann from second base.
“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 through, I know that’s going to be big for him. And it catapulted that huge inning.”
Jose Ramírez, who was intentionally walked in the 10th inning, followed with an RBI single off Michael Tonkin. After a walk to Tyler Freeman, David Fry hit a bases-loaded triple to make it 8-3.
“Really cool to see,” Fry said about Thomas’ crucial hit. “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 base to end the 10th inning.
Tim Herrin (5-0) was helped by Schneemann’s leaping catch in right field on Austin Wells’ drive and managed to leave two runners on base in the 11th inning.
Scott Barlow gave up a two-run double to Judge but finished the game, which lasted 4 hours and 5 minutes — the longest in the majors this year.
Cleveland drew 14 walks for the first time since September 9, 1979. The Guardians left 20 runners on base and went 7 for 24 with runners in scoring position. This was a contrast to their performance last weekend when they went 6 for 29 with runners in scoring position during a three-game sweep by Milwaukee.
“What an unbelievable game by both,” Vogt said. “Just one team had to outlast the other and fortunately it was us.”
New York used all eight of its relievers after rookie starter Luis Gil left in the fourth inning due to back tightness. The Yankees issued 14 walks for the first time since they allowed a team-record 15 walks at Milwaukee on September 15, 1993.
Soto and Judge hit back-to-back homers off Matthew Boyd in the first inning. Anthony Volpe had a tying double in the fourth, but the Yankees went 1 for 16 with runners in scoring position and stranded 12 runners, leading to their third straight loss.
“It’s just been a few games now where we’ve struggled offensively,” manager Aaron Boone said. “Juan and Aaron got us off to a really good start in the first inning, but we’ve got to cash in those opportunities. That’s kind of been the issue over the weekend against Detroit and into this game. We’ve got to pick it up.”
The Yankees fell a half-game behind the Orioles in the AL East standings. Baltimore won against the New York Mets at Citi Field.
Cleveland extended its AL Central lead to 3 1/2 games over Kansas City and Minnesota.
Gil allowed three runs and three hits in three-plus innings. He walked six batters and threw first-pitch strikes to only six of 19 hitters.
