I loved to run. Running may be the most boring sport; you can literally do it bare foot in any space, in any place, anywhere in the world Which makes it bland, anodyne…but also timeless. Since the dawn of human existence running has existed as a necessity and a sport. Its blandness also became its beauty: I could run anywhere, and I loved it. One of my best memories is my father’s second wedding, it was in upstate New York in the middle of nowhere, and I needed to practice before the season started. So I left our small hotel…and I just ran. It didn’t matter where, I would make my own path.
Anywhere, anyplace, with basically any clothing and equipment. Running offered an outlet for energy, and it was a welcome one. A welcome outlet I have not enjoyed for nearly a decade. As a teenager I broke both my legs in a car accident, and while I recovered and returned to running briefly, I quickly found the pain too much to bear, and gave up the sport for other pursuits. More recently I tore my ACL, and while I have recovered from this injury well: jogging stings.
But not the evening of October 17th, that evening I found myself running. Specifically from 2401 Ontario Street to the West Side Market. On that brief stretch of road, across the Cuyahoga River: I jogged, gleefully. Happily. In a heavy sweater with a bunch of people gawking at me as I slowly made my way across the old bridge. My left leg throbbed, my right knee protested: but I made my way across the bridge none-the-less. What could possibly cause me to endure this?
David Fry. Jhonkensy Noel, and the pure joy of walk off postseason magic.
Cleveland entered today basically with its back against the wall, and to their credit they did not shy away from the moment. Matthew Boyd pitched 5 brilliant innings against the Yankees, surrendering only one run and even that run required the most unlucky doubles I have ever seen in my life. Cade Smith came on, and shut down the Yankees. Next came Tim Herrin, and Hunter Gaddis. The Guards spotted their bullpen a run lead on a Kyle Manzardo 2-run homer, and Andres Gimenez single.
Gaddis walked Juan Soto with two outs, on four pitches. In came Emmanuel Clase to face Aaron Judge. Everyone in Cleveland felt good: Clase was lights out all regular season, and generally was in the postseason besides that one at-bat against Kerry Carpenter, and Aaron Judge has been cold in October for a few years now. Well, Judge wasn’t cold against Clase: he smoked a ball well out of reach in right field. Game tied, then Giancarlo Stanton followed with an even harder hit ball to center field: Yankees lead.
It looked over. The Yanks scored a run in the next inning to make it a 5-3 lead. It felt even more over than normal.
Except it wasn’t. First Jose smoked a ball to the first baseman, which he bobbled, and hustled his way to first base. The crowd cheered up, maybe it wasn’t over. Then, Josh Naylor promptly grounded into a double play to the pitcher. Again: it’s over, two outs now with both our best hitters retired. Enter Lane Thomas, who doubled to right field off the wall. The crowd woke up a bit…but only so much. A runner on second would not tie the game.
Enter Jhonkesy Noel. Noel has looked pretty good this postseason, taking several counts full, and struck out a few times on questionable calls for strike three. He took one pitch before depositing a ball over the right field wall; a 109 MPH shot, a strike across the bow. The Yankees (so soon after stunning Cleveland against Clase) were stunned themselves. I received several texts from Yankee fan friends of mine in complete shock: how had Cleveland done this?
The night did not end. Enter Pedro Avila, the bullpen cleanup crew who usually entered only when the game got out of hand. Here he was, in the 10th, ensuring the Yankees stayed tied. He promptly struck out Aaron Judge, and then proceeded to get out of the inning. Bottom of the 10th, with the bullpen completely spent.
Bo Naylor singled, Brayan Rocchio bunted him over to 2nd. That gave Steven Kwan a chance to end it, and Kwan’s been our hottest hitter all postseason. Uncharacteristically Kwan grounded out to first base on the second pitch. Two down, and now the crowd was anxious: we all worried about Avila facing more Yankee hitters (we’ve all seen how dangerous it was to give the Yankees too many opportunities to score runs). David Fry, against a righty, an unfavorable matchup. Not too unfavorable.
Boom. Game over.
I think I hugged and high fived more strangers after that home run, I smothered my father with tears and excitement. Leaped with joy with my two brothers in law, and screamed into the chilly Cleveland night: the Guardians walked off the New York Yankees. Our first walk off since Game 4 of the 2022 ALDS…against the Yankees.
If that’s not the best reason to jog your energy away, I do not know what is!
First to four, seven more wins to end the drought!
-Benjamin, J