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New York Yankees' Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton Blast Historic Back-to-Back Home Runs

Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton dug the New York Yankees out of a massive hole in Game 3 of the ALCS on Thursday night, making MLB postseason history in the process.
Sam Connon|
Oct 17, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (27) celebrates with teammates after a home run during the eighth inning against the Cleveland Guardians in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series at Progressive Field.
Oct 17, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (27) celebrates with teammates after a home run during the eighth inning against the Cleveland Guardians in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series at Progressive Field. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

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New York YankeesCleveland Guardians

Emmanuel Clase, the most dominant closer in baseball, was on the mound for the Cleveland Guardians.

Aaron Judge, the most dominant power hitter in baseball, was at the plate for the New York Yankees.

The Guardians needed one more out to get out of a jam in the top of the eighth inning in Game 3 of the ALCS at Progressive Field on Thursday night. Leading the contest 3-1, they had a chance to eat away at the Yankees' 2-0 lead in the series.

Clase jumped ahead in the count 0-2 and had the home crowd on his side, but it was Judge who got the last laugh.

The presumptive AL MVP crushed a cutter 356 feet to right. The line drive just cleared the fence for a two-run home run, tying the score 3-3.

Unfortunately for Clase, the damage didn't end there.

Designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton also found himself down in the count 0-2. He then proceeded to foul off four pitches before taking Clase yard again.

The solo home run put the Yankees on top 4-3. With all the attention that was given to Judge and Juan Soto this season, it was Judge and Stanton who went back-to-back when the stakes were the highest.

According to OptaSTATS, the Yankees are the first team in MLB postseason history to be trailing by multiple runs in the eighth inning or later, then hit back-to-back home runs to take the lead.

The Guardians eventually tied the game in the bottom of the ninth via Jhonkensy Noel's own clutch homer. Then, David Fry walked it off with another home run in the 10th, erasing Judge and Stanton's historic blasts.

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Sam Connon
SAM CONNON

Sam Connon is a staff writer covering baseball for “Fastball on SI.’’ He previously covered UCLA Athletics for On SI’s All Bruins site, and is a UCLA graduate, with his work there as a sports columnist receiving awards from the College Media Association and Society of Professional Journalists. Connon also wrote for On SI’s New England Patriots site, Patriots Country, and he was on the Patriots and Boston Red Sox beats at Prime Time Sports Talk. Sam lives in Boston.

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