Yankees save season, beat Guardians to force decisive Game 5 in ALDS
Gerrit Cole brought the Yankees back from the brink. They're Bronx bound, still chasing a championship.
Cole gave New York what it needed, seven solid innings and Harrison Bader hit a two-run homer as the Yankees saved their season and forced a decisive fifth game in the AL Division Series with a 4-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians in Game 4 on Sunday night.
"This series certainly isn't over, and we have bigger goals," Cole said. "But I'm definitely having the time of my life and I love it and I can't wait to keep going."
New York's $324 million US man, Cole allowed two runs and struck out eight in beating the Guardians for the second time in six days. He didn't dominate, but Cole kept Cleveland's hitters off base and off balance.
Gerrit Cole had everything working tonight. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/postseason?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#postseason</a> <a href="https://t.co/Gt6vtPmofX">pic.twitter.com/Gt6vtPmofX</a>
Bader homered for the third time in the best-of-five series, connecting in the second inning off Cal Quantrill, who came in unbeaten in 44 games at Progressive Field.
After blowing Game 3 on Saturday, when the Yankees' bullpen had its greatest meltdown in the team's storied post-season history, New York recovered and is headed home.
New York will start Game 2 loser Jameson Taillon against Aaron Civale on Monday night at Yankee Stadium.
Canadian Josh Naylor homered for the Guardians, who are trying to end Major League Baseball's current longest World Series drought in their first year after a franchise name change. Cleveland hasn't won it all since 1948.
With a history of post-season heartbreak, Cleveland teams are 1-7 in winner-take-all games.
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