Giancarlo Stanton’s timely eighth-inning home run was the difference-maker as the New York Yankees edged the Kansas City Royals 3-2 on Wednesday night. The victory gives the Yankees a 2-1 series lead in the American League Division Series, putting them one win away from the AL Championship Series. Despite an uneven offensive performance, Stanton carried the team on his back, finishing with three hits and two RBIs.
Stanton Lifts the Yankees with Game-Changing Homer
The Yankees needed a spark, and Stanton was up for the challenge. In the eighth inning, with the game knotted at 2-2, Stanton faced Royals’ ace Kris Bubic. Bubic had been sharp, but Stanton turned a 3-1 pitch into a towering 420-foot shot to left field, giving New York the lead and eventually the win. It was a classic moment of Stanton delivering in the clutch—something Yankees fans have come to expect.
- Key Stats of the Night:
- Stanton: 3-5, 2 RBIs, 1 SB
- Rest of the Yankees: 1-25, 0 extra-base hits
- Yankees’ bullpen: 4⅓ scoreless innings
The victory wasn’t pretty. The Yankees only managed four hits in total, their fewest in a postseason win since 2005, but they made the most of them. Stanton’s powerful bat and strong bullpen work were enough to secure the win.
Yankees Bullpen Continues to Dominate
As much as Stanton’s heroics stole the show, the Yankees’ bullpen deserves just as much credit. The relief corps has been outstanding all postseason, and Wednesday night was no different. Luke Weaver and company didn’t allow an earned run in their 13⅔ innings this postseason, with Weaver closing out the game for a critical save.
New York’s bullpen stymied the Royals after Clarke Schmidt’s solid 4⅔ innings as the starter. Even as Kansas City threatened in the eighth with Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez reaching base, Weaver remained cool, getting the outs when they counted most.
- Notable Bullpen Performances:
- Luke Weaver: 2 scoreless innings, 2 hits, 3 strikeouts
- Overall bullpen: 4⅓ scoreless innings
Manager Aaron Boone has relied heavily on his bullpen, and so far, they’ve been more than up to the task. “It’s been our backbone all year,” Schmidt said after the game. That backbone will be tested again as the Yankees look to close out the series in Game 4.
Aaron Judge Continues to Struggle
While Stanton shined, Aaron Judge’s struggles continued. Judge went 0-for-4 on the night, and he is now 1-for-11 in the series with just a single hit. It’s a surprising slump for the AL MVP frontrunner, who had a spectacular regular season but has yet to find his rhythm in the playoffs.
Judge isn’t chasing pitches, but he hasn’t been able to square up the ball. Despite drawing nine walks as a team on Wednesday, including one from Judge, the Yankees need more from their star slugger if they hope to advance deeper into the postseason.
What’s Next: Yankees Turn to Cole in Game 4
With the win in hand, the Yankees will now turn to Gerrit Cole for Game 4 on Thursday night, giving them a strong chance to close out the series. Cole, a six-time All-Star, will take the mound in Kansas City with the goal of sending New York to the ALCS. He’ll be up against Royals starter Michael Wacha, who pitched four innings in the series opener, allowing three runs.
Cole wasn’t at his sharpest in Game 1, allowing four runs (three earned) in five innings. But he’ll be looking for redemption in Game 4, knowing the Yankees have a golden opportunity to wrap up the series.
The Yankees’ bullpen has been a major strength, but they’ll need more offense to avoid a nail-biter. Stanton and the relief corps can’t carry the team every night, especially if the Royals’ arms show up like they did in Game 3.
