Guardians' Jhonkensy Noel downplays majestic game-tying homer after Stephen Vogt admission
Christmas came early for the Cleveland Guardians and their fans. With their season on the brink, the Guardians received a huge present from their power-hitting rookie Jhonkensy Noel in the form of a game-tying, two-run home run in Game 3 of the ALCS. Noel's blast sparked Cleveland and ultimately helped the Guards secure a much-needed win to cut the series deficit in half.
"Big Christmas" came off the bench to deliver his heroics. It was something Guardians manager Stephen Vogt envisioned when he picked Noel to pinch hit in the bottom of the ninth inning Thursday night.
"I mean, he pinch hit to hit a homer," Vogt said, per ESPN. "That's why we sent him up there."
A job well done by Vogt and Noel, who backed up his manager with a moonshot to send Progressive Field into a frenzy. Hitting long home runs has become the norm for Noel, a 23-year-old who the Guardians are growing to trust with the bat in his hands.
"He didn't say anything explicitly, but I know every time I get my name called up it's because they believe in me and they trust me," Noel said through a translator. "That's something they've done the whole year."
Noel kept calm amid the chaos he caused after launching a ball into the left-field stands. It was just another day in the office for him.
"It's nothing special," Noel said about hitting a ball in the sweet spot. "It's the same sensation in a regular game, and you have to have the same approach."
Guardians stay alive with home run heroics
From an out away to a completely different series, that's how quickly things can change in the MLB playoffs . Staring down the barrel of a 3-0 deficit, the Guardians pulled themselves out of the fire and kept things interesting in this best-of-seven ALCS.
Almost everyone had written off Cleveland after it dropped both games in New York. The Yankees were already looking for flights to Los Angeles. Now they might have the Guardians following them back to the Bronx if Cleveland wins another home game.
Lost in the haze of Jhonkensy Noel's blast and David Fry's game-winner were back-to-back homers from a pair of Yankees sluggers. Aaron Judge is officially back and Giancarlo Stanton continues to deliver for New York in his signature postseason.
The Guardians might not want the series to turn into a slugfest, but they outhit the Yankees at least for one day. Cleveland needs a few more games like that from the offense to salvage the season and keep its World Series dreams alive.
The next two days will make or break the Guardians' 2024 season. Thursday's game, however, will not be lost in the minds of those in attendance and the millions of Cleveland baseball fans watching. An instant classic sparked new life into this series, time to buckle up.
