Tim Hill and Jake Cousins ​​help the Yankees reach the World Series

CLEVELAND — Tim Hill faced an uphill climb to become one of the key cogs in a pennant-winning bullpen.

As recently as June 18, Hill was struggling with a 5.87 ERA for the White Sox, who would become the most losing team in a single season in MLB history.

He was released the next day.

The irony, of course, is that his former coaches and teammates are watching at home as Hill gets big outs day after day for the Yankees, who are on their way to the World Cup after a 5-2 win over the Guardians in 10 innings in Game 5 Series are the ALCS on Saturday evening.

And Hill wasn't the only one who got the last laugh when the Yankees' vaunted bullpen was shorthanded.

Jake Cousins ​​— who didn't make the White Sox roster after spring training and was subsequently traded to the Yankees — also answered the bell in Game 5.

The duo combined for eight big outs.

The left-handed lateral Hill faced four batters and hit two double plays – no easy feat – to help the Yankees keep the score at 2-2.

Hill threw a pitch for the third straight day and fifth time in five games this series with top relievers Clay Holmes and Tommy Kahnle likely unavailable, replacing Mark Leiter Jr. in the sixth with one on and one out .

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He gave up a single to Bo Naylor before setting up a 4-4-3 double play from Andres Gimenez.

Manager Aaron Boone stuck with Hill early in the seventh and showed confidence in him after he gave Brayan Rocchio the lead.

Hill rewarded faith by retiring Steven Kwan – who extended his Cleveland franchise record by reaching base in the 16th straight postseason game – on an unassisted double play.

Oswaldo Cabrera, who came in as a pinch-runner for Anthony Rizzo in the seventh inning, took a short hop, tagged the bag and made a heads-up play to tag the runner, who chose not to go to second base go.

The Yankees are reportedly only paying Hill a prorated minimum salary, as the White Sox picked up the tab for his remaining $1.88 million salary when he was released.

Cousins, who was used far more sparingly than Hill in the playoffs, struck out four of the five batters he faced entering the seventh and earned a two-out walk in the eighth.

He clenched his fists and let out a loud scream as he left the hill.

“(Hill) had a little more (time) in the trenches there,” Cousins ​​said earlier this postseason of her time with the 121-loss White Sox. “But the fact that we’re both in that bullpen and playing important roles, it’s a very cool scenario to get in a good situation and just get going.”