In Game 3 of the ALDS on Wednesday night, with the series tied up at one apiece against the Kansas City Royals, Giancarlo Stanton carried the New York Yankees to a 3-2 victory. A pivotal postseason win on the road at Kauffman Stadium to take a 2-1 lead in the best of five series.
Stanton, a prolific October hitter with 12 postseason-career home runs, smashed a go-ahead solo HR off of Royals’ left-hander Kris Bubic in the eighth, giving the Yankees a 3-2 lead.
Big G. Big Blast. 💪 pic.twitter.com/8YlH5EATKZ
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 10, 2024
The right-handed slugger, who finished 3-5 with a double, HR , two RBI, and a stolen base for the first time in four years for good measure, now has the second lowest ratio of home runs per postseason at-bats with 9.4 — only trailing Babe Ruth “The Great Bambino” (8.6).
On Kansas City’s side, Game 3 of the ALDS was their first Postseason home game in nine years, since the organization won the World Series against the New York Mets in 2015.
The first #Postseason action in Kansas City since 2015! 👑 pic.twitter.com/Vr8FWQDvzR
— MLB (@MLB) October 9, 2024
As a result, with the momentum riding high after Game 2’s win in the Bronx, an extra amount of 3,000 tickets for standing room were purchased by fans to accommodate the over-capacitated crowd of 40,315.
Yanks Win ALDS Game 3
Right-handed pitcher Clarke Schmidt started game three for the Yankees against Royals’ Puerto Rican righty Seth Lugo. Both starters were scoreless through three innings and worked out of some minor jams.
In the fourth, Stanton struck first for the Yankees with an RBI double off Lugo to put New York up 1-0. This was set up by a walk from Dominican superstar Juan Soto.
Stanton Smash 🔥 pic.twitter.com/TMNUG6fv9i
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 10, 2024
In the fifth, the Yankees added to the lead with a sacrifice fly from Soto, a former LatinoMVP, which brought in shortstop Anthony Volpe, who hit a leadoff single. Lugo was done after five innings with two runs allowed.
Schmidt cruised through four scoreless innings with four strikeouts and got two quick outs in the fifth. He then gave up an infield single to right fielder Adam Frazier, and an RBI double from center fielder Kyle Isbel, cutting the Royals’ deficit to 2-1.
Pulling Schmidt around the 70-pitch mark with the lefty second baseman Michael Massey could’ve made sense, but the Yankees opted to keep him in the game. Michael Massey made them regret the move as he hit a ball to the right field vicinity where Soto tried to catch on a dive but missed and the result was a game-trying RBI triple.
Kauffman. Is. Rockin! pic.twitter.com/3k0nsJzgeH
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) October 10, 2024
Schmidt was pulled for right-handed reliever Clay Holmes, as it became a brand new ballgame and a battle of the bullpens.
First in line was Holmes getting out of the jam with the game remaining tied 2-2 going into the sixth.
The Yankees were held in check in the sixth while Holmes pitched a scoreless sixth to keep the game tied. So far, the 31-year-old has had a fantastic postseason with four scoreless innings and has 12 scoreless innings throughout his playoff career.
The Bronx Bombers were held off the scoreboard again in the seventh, turning to righty reliever Tommy Kahnle for the bottom half of the frame. Kahnle continued his perfect three innings of postseason play with 1.1 scoreless innings, becoming the only Yankees’ reliever to record a strikeout on the night.
Tommy Kahnle, Filthy 88mph Changeup. 👌 pic.twitter.com/JU2qUejlEc
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) October 10, 2024
Then came Stanton in the eighth to make sure the Yankees offense would do just enough to win the game. The 34-year old veteran has been through a lot, but always has a knack for coming up clutch in October.
“The biggest moments you have to be ready for it and you have to want it,” Stanton said postgame “You’re not always gonna be successful, but you can’t shy from the big moment.”
Yankees’ right-handed closer Luke Weaver was tasked with getting a five-out save. He gave up singles to Royals’ shortstop Bobby Whitt Jr. and Venezuelan catcher Salvador Pérez, but got out of the jam with a flyout from Cuban first baseman Yuli Gurriel following the early struggles.
Next up in the ninth, Weaver made quick work of the Royals with a 1-2-3 inning and put the Yankees back in control of the series with his second save of the postseason.
The @Yankees are ONE win away from the #ALCS. 👀 pic.twitter.com/uzgTNHZhvT
— MLB (@MLB) October 10, 2024
New York can clinch a trip to the ALCS with one more win in the best-of-five series.
Game 4 of the ALDS – Royals vs. Yankees
For Game 4 of the ALDS, New York will give the ball to their right-handed ace Gerrit Cole (8-5, 3.41 ERA) with a 2-1 series lead. The Royals will counter with righty Michael Wacha (13-8, 3.35 ERA) as both starters also took the ball in Game 1 of the ALDS.
Watch along on TBS as Game 4 takes place at 8:08 PM ET.
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