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Guardians outlast Yankees to pull level in MLB playoffs / Photo: © GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
Guardians outlast Yankees to pull level in MLB playoffs
Josh Naylor and Oscar Gonzalez drove in 10th-inning runs to lift the Cleveland Guardians over the New York Yankees 4-2 on Friday, leveling their Major League Baseball playoff series.
By winning a contest postponed from Thursday by rain, the visiting Guardians equalized at 1-1 in the best-of-five American League division series, with games three and four on Saturday and Sunday at Cleveland.
"We're excited to go back home to our fans," Naylor said. "We're going to bring the same energy we bring every day."
Tenth-inning leadoff hitter Jose Ramirez turned a bloop hit into short left field into a double and took third on a throwing error by Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson.
Gonzalez followed by lofting a bloop single over first base to score Ramirez and give the Guardians a 3-2 edge.
Naylor followed with a double to the centerfield wall that scored Gonzalez for a 4-2 Cleveland lead.
"Just put the ball in play, hit something solid," Naylor said of Cleveland's strategy. "Our game plan was just to get runners on base and move them."
When the Yankees came to bat in the 10th, Donaldson got a one-out walk but Oswaldo Cabrera struck out and Isiah Kiner-Falefa grounded out to end the game.
Giancarlo Stanton had put the Yankees ahead with a two-run homer in the first inning.
But the Guardians answered in the fourth when Naylor singled, advanced on a walk and scored on a single to right field by Andres Gimenez.
Amed Rosario tied the game at 2-2 with a solo homer in the fifth.
In later National League division series games on Friday, reigning World Series champion Atlanta was at Philadelphia and the Los Angeles Dodgers visited San Diego, with each matchup level at 1-1.
O. Petrow--BTZ
