Field Level Media
May 6, 2018
Rookie Gleyber Torres hit a three-run homer with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning as the New York Yankees erased a four-run deficit and recorded a stunning 7-4 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Sunday afternoon at Yankee Stadium.
The game began with dueling no-hitters by Mike Clevinger and Domingo German along with reliever Dellin Betances.
It ended when Torres lifted Dan Otero's full-count sinker into Yankees bullpen beyond the right-center field wall. The ball exited his bat at 104.4 mph and traveled 415 feet, resulting in a wild celebration at home plate.
Torres' first career walk-off hit gave the Yankees a sixth straight win and 15th in 16 games since April 20.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, at 21 years, 144 days old, Torres is the youngest Yankee to hit a walk-off homer. The mark was previously held by Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle (21 years, 185 days old).
The homer occurred after Aaron Hicks opened the inning with a double off Cody Allen (2-1) over center fielder Greg Allen's head. Hicks later scored on Neil Walker's double to right field.
After the right-handed Otero retired Miguel Andujar, the Indians intentionally walked Giancarlo Stanton to face Torres.
Before Torres celebrated the two-week anniversary of his promotion to the Yankees, the Yankees scored three in the eighth off Cody Allen on a single by Brett Gardner and a two-run double by Aaron Judge.
Chasen Shreve (2-0) pitched a hitless ninth and earned the win.
Before the Yankees began their comeback, Yonder Alonso broke up a no-hit bid by the Yankees with a leadoff single in the top of the eighth inning against Betances.
The Indians finally broke through when Alonso slapped a 2-2 curveball into right field just past the diving attempt of Torres at second base.
After Alonso's hit, Yan Gomes followed with a single and pinch runner Rajai Davis stole third before scoring on Tyler Naquin's single up the middle.
Two batters later, Francisco Lindor blooped a soft double into right field for a 2-0 lead and Cleveland added an insurance run when Naquin scored on a passed ball by catcher Gary Sanchez during an at-bat by Jason Kipnis.
Kipnis then lifted a sacrifice fly to make it 4-0.
Clevinger allowed a single to Hicks in the fifth and set a career-high with 10 strikeouts while allowing two runs in 7 1/3 innings.
The Indians came back after being confounded by German's array of breaking pitches in six innings. Filling in for the injured Jordan Montgomery, he threw a career-high 84 pitches, striking out nine while throwing a combined 59 curveballs and changeups.
Neither team had a hit until Hicks opened the fifth with a single up the middle.
The Indians threatened twice to get their first hit, but Torres made a nice play on the run in right field on Naquin's ground ball to end the fifth. Two innings later, Didi Gregorius ranged to his left and made a strong throw to retire Edwin Encarnacion on a groundout to the hole in shortstop.
--Field Level Media