Soto’s late blast catapults the New York Yankees into their first World Series since 2009 MLB

Juan Soto hit a three-run home run with two outs in the 10th inning and the New York Yankees reached their 41st World Series – and first in 15 years – by beating the Cleveland Guardians by 5 in Game 5 of the AL Championship Series :2 defeated Saturday night.

Baseball’s biggest brand returns to the main stage in October.

Soto, acquired in a seven-player trade with San Diego in December, put the Bronx Bombers in a big swing.

The Yankees will try to win their 28th title against either the New York Mets or the Los Angeles Dodgers. Game 6 of the NL Championship Series takes place on Sunday at Dodger Stadium.

In the 10th, Austin Wells walked with one out and Alex Verdugo followed with a grounder to second baseman Andrés Giménez, whose soft toss into the pocket was deflected on an error by rookie shortstop Brayan Rocchio.

Gaddis struck out Gleyber Torres to bring Soto to 1-2 before New York’s stylish outfielder sent a shot over the center wall. Soto danced down the first base line, pausing to celebrate with his teammates before circling the bases.

“I just said to myself, ‘You’re into this guy.’ You really like this guy. “He has nothing,” Soto said.

Giancarlo Stanton hit a two-run home run for the Yankees, who took care of the Guardians in five games, but it wasn’t easy.

New York won the first two games at Yankee Stadium without much fanfare or drama. In Cleveland, however, it was a different story as all three games at Progressive Field were exciting.

The Guardians rallied to win Game 3 with two two-run home runs in their final two at-bats, and the Yankees were able to win Game 4 after blowing a four-run lead.

Cleveland simply didn’t have enough, and a surprising season under first-year coach Stephen Vogt ended just short of a World Series. The franchise has been without a title since 1948, currently the longest losing streak in baseball.

The Yankees are back in the World Series, back where their fans expect them to be every year.

The club’s fourth-place finish in the AL East last season, 82-80, led to a “conscience search as an organization” over the winter, according to manager Aaron Boone, who has been widely criticized but is one of only three managers to be retained New York reached the playoffs in six of its first seven seasons.

While the team’s core remained mostly intact, the December 7 transfer of Soto in a blockbuster trade – New York sent five players to San Diego for the three-time All-Star outfielder – accelerated the team’s return to title contender status.

“It was a good day,” Boone said with a laugh before the game.

Stanton’s 446-foot rocket into the left-field bleachers evened the score at 2-1 in the sixth, chasing Tanner Bibee, who had struck out New York’s dangerous DH in his first two at-bats and held the Yankees scoreless through the first five innings .

It was Stanton’s fourth home run of the series – his third in three days – and his 16th of the postseason, moving him into fourth place on the club’s career list behind Bernie Williams (22), Derek Jeter (20) and Mickey Mantle (18). ) brought. .

Before the game, Boone was asked what makes Stanton so good.

“First of all, he can hit harder than anyone,” Boone said. “So the physical nature of what he does is unlike almost anyone else in the world.”

But Boone continued to praise Stanton’s discipline at work, “his approach, his process, how he studies guys.”

“There’s something he does when he’s not only very physically gifted, but he also becomes comfortable with people,” Boone said.

The Guardians took a 2-0 lead in the fifth on an RBI single by Steven Kwan with two outs by Carlos Rodón. But Cleveland missed a big chance for more, leaving the bases loaded when Lane Thomas fumbled against Mark Leiter Jr. on the first pitch.