CLEVELAND, Ohio — If the Guardians find themselves in a save situation Friday night in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series on Friday night at Progressive Field, Emmanuel Clase is going to be on the mound to convert it.
Clase allowed consecutive homers to Yankee sluggers Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton in the eighth inning Thursday night to turn a 3-1 Cleveland lead into a 4-3 Yankee lead.
It was his first blown save in the postseason and ended a streak of 36 consecutives saves for Clase going back to May 20 in the regular season. The Guardians rallied on two-run homers by Jhonkensy Noel and David Fry to beat the Yankees, 7-5, in 10 innings.
Clase left Progressive Field without talking to reporters Thursday night. But manager Stephen Vogt left no doubt who he’d turn to if a save was needed Friday night.
“He’s the best closer in the game, and I’m excited to give him the ball with a lead tonight, hopefully,” said Vogt in his pregame press conference on Friday before Game 4. “He’s hung two sliders this postseason. That’s what’s true. Anything outside of that, you don’t worry about it.
“He’s made two bad pitches.”
Judge hit a 99 mph cut fastball over the right field wall in a line drive for a two-run homer to tie the score, 3-3. Vogt said it was a good pitch.
“There’s one guy who can hit that pitch and Aaron Judge hit it,” said Vogt, referring to the 58 homers Judge hit during the regular season.
The homer to Stanton came on a hanging slider. It was the same kind of hanging slider that Detroit’s Kerry Carpenter hit for a three-run homer off Clase in the ninth inning of Game 2 of the ALDS to give the Tigers a 3-0 victory.
Clase is 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA with two saves in five appearances this postseason. He’s allowed six earned runs on eight hits in six innings. Three of the hits have been home runs.
During the regular season, Clase went 4-2 with a 0.61 ERA in 74 games. He allowed two homers and five earned runs in 74 1/3 innings.
In Clase’s five appearances this postseason, he’s entered in the eighth inning four times. During the regular season, Clase was asked to pitch more than one inning just once.
Vogt said that has not been a problem for Clase.
“He did it in the Detroit series three times,” said Vogt. “He’s gone multiple innings a lot in his career, and he wants it. He’s ready for it.
“So you can nitpick or you can point out and say, this is why he got hit last night. It’s just like Tanner (Bibee) the other night in New York (Game 2). He didn’t do anything wrong. They just hit him.
“Clase is going to be right back out there.”
