Juan Soto sends the Yankees to the World Series with an all-time classic home run

CLEVELAND – Nothing has come easy for the Yankees this year.

But for the first time in 15 years, they are finally returning to the World Series.

Who else but Juan Soto was the hero who delivered a two-out, three-run home run in the top of the 10th inning that gave the Yankees a 5-2 victory over the Guardians that secured them the American League pennant and their The autumn classic bought the ticket.

A third consecutive thrilling, dramatic game was left to the bullpens, and it was Soto, the Yankees' offseason trade prize, who changed his tune earlier in the year and gained the most momentum.

Luke Weaver, who had his first career save in Game 3, got the last three outs of a six-out effort and sent the Yankees onto the field in celebration.

Since their last World Series appearance in 2009, the Yankees had made the ALCS five times and lost all five, the last three of which were against the Astros.

This time they had a disastrous 82-80 season, but beat the Royals in the ALDS, fended off the pesky Guardians in the ALCS and will face the Dodgers or Mets in the World Series starting Friday.

Austin Wells started the rally with one out in the 10th inning, drawing a full count walk off Hunter Gaddis.

Alex Verdugo came next and hit a potential double-play ball to second base that Andres Gimenez turned to second base, but shortstop Brayan Rocchio dropped it, leaving both runners safe.

One out later, Soto hit a 1-1 count before fouling out on four pitches and then hitting a 95 mph fastball at the top of the zone for a 402-foot home run.

Giancarlo Stanton had tied the game at 2-2 in the sixth inning with a booming 446-foot home run off Tanner Bibee, who had held out for most of that point after a first-inning jam.

It was Stanton's fourth ALCS win, and all four were home runs, starting another chapter for the veteran DH's October legend.

After Carlos Rodon lasted just 4 ²/₃ innings, the Yankees bullpen recorded 16 outs after having 15 each of the previous two days.

On Saturday, that meant two outs from Mark Leiter Jr., four from a brave Tim Hill (pitching for the third day in a row and the fifth time in the last six days) and four from Jake Cousins ​​(all on strikeouts) to tide him over the gap to Weaver in the ninth.

Leiter, who delivered five big outs in Game 4 on his first day in the playoffs, came out of the bullpen in the fifth inning with runners on second and third and threw a ball to Jose Ramirez before the Yankees decided to throw it intentionally to run.

But Leiter got out of trouble by giving Lane Thomas a groundout.

Then, after Stanton tied the game with his monstrous home run early in the sixth, Leiter walked the leadoff man in the bottom of the inning before getting Jhonkensy Noel to come up for a full count.

Aaron Boone then turned to left Hill, who gave up a single to Bo Naylor, but then brought down Gimenez on an inning-ending double play.

Hill came back for the seventh time by walking Rocchio to 11 pitches – with two borderline pitches not helping his cause – and got Steven Kwan to hit another double play, led off by first baseman Oswaldo Cabrera, who pinched a run for Anthony Rizzo in the top of the inning.