MLB 2024 ALCS Game 4 Postgame Notes

October 18, 2024

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NEW YORK YANKEES
With tonight’s victory, the Yankees take a 3-1 lead in the 2024 American League Championship Series.

Teams to take a 3-1 lead in a best-of-seven Postseason series have gone on to win the series 79 of 93 times (84.9%), including 37 of 45 times in the LCS (82.2%).
Improve to 10-7 all-time in ALCS Game 4’s.
Tonight was the second time in this ALCS that the Yankees scored a go-ahead run on a play where Cleveland committed an error (Aaron Judge reached on a dropped pop-up by Brayan Rocchio in the 1st inning of Game 2, which gave NYY a 1-0 lead).
LUIS GIL: Did not factor in decision after tossing 4.0 innings and allowing two earned runs on three hits with three walks and three strikeouts.
Only runs allowed came on sac fly by José Ramírez and an RBI single by Josh Naylor… Tonight was just the 13th time in his 30 combined starts between the regular season and Postseason allowing multiple runs in an appearance.
Tonight was his first career Postseason start and first outing overall since Sept. 28 vs. Pittsburgh.
GIANCARLO STANTON: Hit a three-run home run in the 6th inning to give Yankees a 6-2 lead…It was his 15th career Postseason home run and fourth of the 2024 Postseason (third HR in this ALCS).
His 15 Postseason home runs tie Babe Ruth and Aaron Judge for fourth-most in Yankees history, behind Bernie Williams (22), Derek Jeter (20) and Mickey Mantle (18)
The 15 homers in his first 35 career Postseason games are tied with Carlos Beltrán and Nelson Cruz for the most by a Major Leaguer in his first 35 Postseason history.
His four home runs in the 2024 Postseason lead all American League players and are tied with Pete Alonso (NYM), Mookie Betts (LAD), Fernando Tatis Jr. (SD) and Mark Vientos (NYM) for the most in the Majors.
Second Yankees player to hit 4+ HR in a postseason multiple times, joining Reggie Jackson (1977 & 1978)…Stanton had 6 HR in 2020 Postseason…
Struck out swinging in the 4th inning, marking his first strikeout since the 8th inning of Game 1 of the ALDS vs. Kansas City on Oct. 5…Had gone 27 consecutive plate appearances without striking out.
MARK LEITER JR.: Earned the win after pitching 1.2 innings in relief, allowing one earned run on two hits with one walk and two strikeouts.
First Yankees reliever to be the winning pitcher in his first career Postseason game since Ivan Nova in Game 1 of the 2011 ALDS vs. Detroit…First Yankees reliever to earn the win in his Postseason debut in an ALCS game since George Frazier in Game 2 of the 1981 ALCS vs. Oakland.
Added to Yankees Postseason roster prior to tonight’s game as an injury replacement for Ian Hamilton.
TOMMY KAHNLE.: Worked a scoreless bottom of the 9th to earn his second career Postseason save and first since Game 4 of the 2017 ALDS (also vs. Cleveland).
JUAN SOTO: Opened the scoring with a two-run home run in the top of the 1st inning to give New York a 2-0 lead…It was his ninth career Postseason homer and second of this ALCS vs. Cleveland.
He has totaled five home runs in 10 games (regular season + Postseason) vs. Cleveland this year…He has six HR in his last 12 games overall vs. Guardians (since June 14, 2023).
His 113.3 exit velocity on tonight’s home run is the highest of his nine career Postseason homers.
Since 2019, his 26 career Postseason RBI rank 10th in the Majors.
ALEX VERDUGO: Tallied a go-ahead RBI in the top of the 9th inning after reaching on a fielding error by Brayan Rocchio to give New York a 7-6 lead.
First go-ahead RBI in the 9th inning (or later) of a Postseason game for the Yankees since an RBI single by DJ LeMahieu in Game 2 of the 2020 AL Wild Card Series (also at Cleveland).
GLEYBER TORRES: Singled on the first pitch of the game and has reached base safely in each of his last 11 Postseason games (including all eight Yankees games this year), dating back to Game 2 of the 2022 ALCS at Houston.
Has reached safely in the Yankees first plate appearance of the game in seven of New York’s eight Postseason contests in 2024…Leads all active players with a .619 Postseason OBP in the 1st inning (min. 20 PA).
His 11-game on-base streak in the Postseason is the longest for a Yankees player since a 12-game streak by DJ LeMahieu spanning the 2019-20 Postseasons.
AUSTIN WELLS: Hit his first career Postseason home run (and first career Postseason XBH) with a solo HR in the top of the 2nd inning to extend New York’s lead to 3-1. • The homer snapped an 0-for-21 streak, dating back to a 3rd inning single in Game 2 of the ALDS vs. Kansas City. • First Postseason home run for a Yankees catcher since Kyle Higashioka in Game 1 of the 2020 ALDS at Tampa Bay. • First Postseason home run by a Yankees rookie catcher in franchise history.
ANTHONY RIZZO: Has hit safely in each of his three starts in the ALCS after not being on the Yankees roster in the ALDS…Is batting .455 (5/11) across his four games (three starts) in this series.
AARON BOONE: Tonight is his 20th career Postseason win as a manager, which ties Rob Thomson for fifth-most among active managers…Additionally, he becomes the fifth Yankees manager with at least 20 career Postseason wins, joining Joe Torre (76), Casey Stengel (37), Joe McCarthey (29) and Joe Girardi (28).

CLEVELAND GUARDIANS
With tonight’s loss, Guardians now trail the 2024 American League Championship Series 3-1 and will be facing elimination tomorrow night.

Are now 3-3 all-time in Game 4 of the ALCS, including a 3-2 record at home.
Improved to 8-for-8 in stolen base attempts in the 2024 Postseason, after Steven Kwan stole second base in the 3rd inning.
Dating back to Game 5 of the 2016 World Series, Cleveland has been successful in their last 14 stolen base attempts…Sets new franchise record for longest streak of successful SB attempts (had a 13 SB streak in the 1995 Postseason).
Guardians bullpen has worked 23.2 innings in this series…Third most IP by relievers through the first four games of an LCS all-time, behind the 2021 Astros (28.1 IP) and 2018 Brewers (25.2 IP).
During the regular season, Emmanuel Clase and Cade Smith combined to allow three total HR (559 batters faced), but have allowed three HR across the last two games (credit: Buster Olney).
GAVIN WILLIAMS: Did not factor in decision after tossing 2.1 innings and allowing three earned runs on three hits with no walks and four strikeouts…All three runs allowed scored on home runs (2-run HR by Juan Soto and solo HR by Austin Wells).
Third start of career (second in 2024) with no walks allowed: Had no walks allowed on Aug. 10, 2024 at MIN in 6.0 IP & had no walks on Aug. 12, 2023 at Tampa Bay in 5.0 IP.
Second start of season allowing multiple home runs (yielded 2 HR on Aug. 4 vs. Baltimore).
Tonight was his first career Postseason start and first outing overall since Sept. 22 at St. Louis.
JOSÉ RAMÍREZ: Drove in Cleveland’s first run of the night with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 1st inning and added an RBI double in the 7th inning cut Yankees lead to 6-3.
The double was the 10th of his Postseason career, which establishes a new Cleveland franchise record (Sandy Alomar Jr. held the previous record with nine Postseason doubles).
His 18 career Postseason RBI are sixth-most in Cleveland franchise history.
His eight career Postseason RBI against the Yankees are tied with Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman and Carlos Correa for third-most among active players…Only Yuli Gurriel (10) and Josh Naylor (10) have more.
Drew his fourth intentional walk of the Postseason in the 8th inning…The four IBB lead the Majors in the 2024 Postseason…Four IBB also tie Albert Belle (1995) for the most in a single Postseason in Cleveland history.
JOSH NAYLOR: RBI single in the 3rd inning trimmed the Yankees lead to 3-2 and two-RBI double in the 7th inning trimmed Yankees lead to 6-5…His 19 career Postseason hits are third-most all-time among Canadian-born players, trailing Russell Martin (38) and Larry Walker (23).
With three RBI tonight, now has 10 career Postseason RBI against the Yankees, which ties Yuli Gurriel (10) for the most among actives.
The three RBI tonight also a new career Postseason best…First 3+ RBI game since Aug. 30 vs. Pittsburgh.
DAVID FRY: Tied the game at 6-6 with an RBI infield hit in the 8th inning…It was the second game-tying single in the 8th inning (or later) of a Postseason game in Cleveland history (Kenny Lofton had an 8th inning RBI single to tie Game 3 of the 1995 ALCS vs. Seattle).
STEVEN KWAN: His walk leading off the bottom of the 1st inning extended his Postseason on-base streak to 15 games, which surpassed Jim Thome (1997-98) for the longest in Cleveland history…Is batting .405 (15/37) across his nine games in the 2024 Postseason with a .488 OBP and .920 OPS.
BO NAYLOR AND JOSH NAYLOR: Became first pair of brothers all-time to both have hits in the same League Championship Series game.
EMMANUEL CLASE: Charged with second loss of the 2024 Postseason (also took loss in Game 2 of ALDS vs. Detroit)…Has allowed runs in four of six appearances this Postseason, after allowing runs in just 10 of 74 regular season outings.

2024 AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Tonight was the first LCS game where both starting pitchers made their first career Postseason appearances since Game 4 of the 2006 NLCS: Oliver Perez (NYM) vs. Anthony Reyes (STL) and first such game in an ALCS since Game 3 of the 1993 ALCS: Pat Hentgen (TOR) vs. Wilson Alvarez (CWS). • Tonight’s victory by the Yankees was the first win by a road team in the series…Last year, the road team was victorious in all seven games of the ALCS between Texas and Houston.