CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Guardians had just celebrated an unexpected Christmas in October, so it was only fitting that they get to experience Fryday on a Thursday as well.
David Fry, author of so many clutch hits and comeback moments for Cleveland throughout the regular season and into the playoffs, delivered a two-out, walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Guardians a 7-5 win against the Yankees in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series at Progressive Field.
It was the third postseason walk-off home run in Guardians history, joining Tony Peña in Game 1 of the 1995 AL Division Series against Boston and Oscar Gonzalez in the 2022 AL Wild Card Series clincher against Tampa Bay.
Fry’s home run came an inning after rookie right fielder Jhonkensy Noel blasted a two-out, two-run home run of his own to tie the score in the bottom of the ninth and force extra innings. Fantastic defense by Andrés Giménez and Josh Naylor in the top of the 10th kept the score deadlocked at 5 runs apiece.
Bo Naylor opened the inning with a leadoff single to right against erstwhile Yankees closer Clay Holmes. He moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Brayan Rocchio and was on third after Steven Kwan sent a grounder back to the mound and Holmes inexplicably threw to first base for the second out.
Holmes then worked ahead of Fry in the count, 1-2, before throwing a 96 mph sinker up in the strike zone and over the inside part of the plate to the Guardians All-Star. Fry, who entered the game as a pinch-hitter for Kyle Manzardo in the seventh inning, said he “blacked out” after connecting on the pitch.
“I just told God, like ‘Hey, man, take this. It’s a tough matchup … you take the at-bat,’” Fry said. “It’s tough in those situations to stay within yourself and just try to have a normal approach, but luckily tonight was a good one.”
Manager Stephen Vogt praised Fry afterward for what he has meant to the Guardians on the field and in the clubhouse all season while dealing with an elbow injury for most of the second half.
“What this guy has been through all year, what he’s given to this team, the leadership that he’s given us, and to step up in that moment against one of the best pitchers in the game … was a moment I’ll never forget,” Vogt said.
Fry had already authored an unforgettable moment in Game 4 of the AL Division Series against Detroit when his pinch-hit home run in the seventh inning gave Cleveland a 5-4 lead.
David Fry won ALCS Game 3 for the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday night with a two-run, 10th-inning homer off Yankees reliever Clay Holmes.AP
But after falling behind in the eighth when Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton went back-to-back with home runs off All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase, Fry said the Guardians showed who they are as a team.
“Everyone genuinely loves each other,” Fry said. “We come to the field excited to play. It’s like, yeah, we got punched in the mouth with the best pitcher in baseball, and it’s like, he picked us up all year. It’s time we pick him up.”
A pair of tough losses to open the series in New York prompted Fry to tell reporters it was time to get back to playing Guards Ball.
“Bunts, bombs and chaos,” Fry said. “That’s what we talked about. It felt like tonight we got back to that.”
