The New York Yankees are one win away from the elusive World Series after sweeping the resilient Cleveland Guardians in Game 4 of the ALCS

CNN
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The New York Yankees are one win away from reaching the franchise's first World Series since 2009.

The Yanks held off a tough Cleveland Guardians team to secure a thrilling 8-6 win in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series on Friday night.

Thanks to home runs from Juan Soto and Giancarlo Stanton, the Yankees avoided heartbreak for the second straight season and took a commanding 3-1 lead.

The Guardians' All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase was again hit by the Yankees' offense as he allowed two runs in the ninth inning in the loss. In Game 3, Clase gave up two consecutive home runs, but was saved by the Guardians' game-winning hit late in the game.

Teams that took a 3-1 lead in a best-of-seven postseason series won the series 79 of 93 times, including 37 of 45 times in the LCS.

“I want a ring, I want a ring,” Stanton said after the game. “Anything I can do to help us win. So step by step, that was a good step, we still have a lot more work to do.”

“It was a big time to throw the first punch, no lead is safe, but it was good to get the first punch, a great fight back and forth and I was able to just keep going.”

After a heartbreaking extra-inning loss in Game 3, the Yankees came out swinging. Gleyber Torres set the tone with a leadoff single in the first inning. Moments later, Soto hit a two-run home run to center field to give New York an early 2-0 lead.

Cleveland responded quickly, cutting the lead in half with an RBI sacrifice fly by José Ramírez in the bottom of the first. But New York's offense kept rolling. Yankees catcher Austin Wells hit a 400-foot solo home run to center field in the third inning to extend the lead to 3-1.

The Guardians made it a one-run game in the bottom of the third when Josh Naylor singled in Steven Kwan to left field, cutting the deficit to 3-2. However, there was more to the Yankees' dangerous bats in the middle of the lineup.

After Soto drew a walk and Aaron Judge followed with a single, both advanced on Jazz Chisolm Jr.'s sacrifice throw. That set the stage for Stanton, who delivered again. He launched a three-run home run into left field – his fourth home run of the postseason – to give the Yankees a 6-2 lead.

Stanton's shot silenced the crowd at Progressive Field as he watched the ball fly into the stands before strutting around the bases and being greeted by his teammates at home plate.

Just when it looked like the Yankees were in control, Cleveland's relentless offense sparked another potential comeback.

In the seventh inning, Brayan Rocchio drew a walk, and the hard-hitting Kwan followed with a single off Yankees reliever Jake Cousins. When the Guardians threatened, Yankees manager Aaron Boone turned to closer Clay Holmes to try to limit the damage.

Holmes first faced David Fry, who had hit a walk-off home run against him in Game 3 and managed to knock him out. However, José Ramírez hit an RBI double to make it 6-3. Naylor followed with a two-run single that cut the Yankees' lead to 6-5 and sent the Cleveland crowd into an uproar.

In the eighth inning, with Cleveland trailing by just one run, Fry tormented the Yankees again. He hit a comebacker to pitcher Mark Leiter Jr., who had difficulty securing the ball, and failed to get the throw clean to Anthony Rizzo at first base, allowing Bo Naylor to score from third base and equalize the game at 6:6.

Despite getting back into the game, Cleveland couldn't find any magic in the ninth inning. Yankees pitcher Tommy Kahnle allowed two runners on base but grounded Rocchio to end the game.

After the game, Cleveland coach Stephen Vogt was asked about the team's mindset heading into a must-win game Saturday.

“We’re going to show up and be ready to win. These are these guys. When our backs are against the wall, we play our best baseball,” said Vogt confidently.

“We're not giving up. This team didn't give up on that. It's not like this all year round. It doesn't matter how we play – the day before or the days before – this team is going to show up with the same attitude and the same mindset that they have every day, which is: 'We're going to win'.”

The Yankees are now just one win away from claiming their first AL pennant in 15 years. They can wrap up the best-of-seven series in Game 5 on Saturday night in Cleveland.

After the game, Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton said the team was still focused on the task at hand.

“It feels like nothing until we get it done,” he said. “In my opinion we have done nothing.

“We’ll enjoy this for now, but we have to get it done tomorrow and the day after.”