Yanks sweep Indians 10-9 in draining game, meet Rays in ALDS

 It took New York Yankees nearly five hours and carried m from September into October to complete sweep.

y stumbled into postseason. y're standing tall w.

DJ LeMahieu's tiebreaking single in ninth inning off closer Brad Hand sent Yankees into AL Division Series — and a matchup with rival Tampa Bay — after a wild 10-9 win over Cleveland Indians early Thursday in longest nine-inning game in major league history.

“I don’t kw how you top that one — back and forth, amount of big plays,” Yankees manr Aaron Boone said after eugh lead changes and drama for a seven-game series. “Tonight just had that feeling that se guys weren’t going to be denied.

"y weren’t going to lose.”

At 4 hours, 50 minutes — even without two wear delays totaling ar 76 minutes — it was draining. It's wonder after Aroldis Chapman got final out that that Yankees barely celebrated. y observed COVID protocols and shared some fist bumps as y left field.

“You don’t have to pour champagne on each or to appreciate what an epic game that was and fact that we’re moving on,” Boone said.

Yankees will play Rays in a best-of-five Division Series next week in San Diego. New York went 2-8 during a testy season series with top-seeded Tampa, which won AL East by seven games over second-place Yankees.

“y’ve been best team in our league all year, so we’re excited to play best team and hopefully can have our way with m,” Boone said.

LeMahieu, AL batting champion during shortened, 60-game regular season, grounded his hit into center field to score Gio Urshela, who hit a go-ahead grand slam earlier and made a huge defensive play at third base.

“That was one of best games I’ve played in my life,” Urshela said.

Down 9-8, Yankees tied it in ninth on Gary Sánchez's sacrifice fly off Hand, who went 16 of 16 on save tries during season.

Yankees were staggering last week. But ir heavy-hitting lineup got rolling over two nights in chilly, mostly empty Progressive Field. New York pounded Cleveland ace Shane Bieber in opener and w Yankees, who hit seven homers in two games, have found ir swing as calendar flips to month that defines m.

“We probably caught people’s attention,” Boone said. “We haven’t done anything yet. This was just a stepping stone.”

Chapman got last six outs for Yankees, aided by a spectacular play from Urshela to begin an inning-ending double play in eighth that kept it a one-run game. Indians got potential tying run to first in ninth on a strikeout passed ball with two outs before Chapman struck out pinch-hitter Austin Hedges.

For Indians, a season of adversity ends with more heartache. y twice rallied to tie Yankees and took lead in eighth on César Hernández's bloop RBI single off Chapman only to have Hand give it away.

Cleveland, which hasn't won World Series since 1948, has lost eight straight postseason games and dropped a record 10 consecutive elimination games stretching back to 1997 Series.

“We had many different things and a lot of obstacles,” said acting manr Sandy Alomar Jr., who filled in for Terry Francona. "But this group stayed toger — by any means. We had an eight-game losing streak, y came back.

“Today’s game reflected how much this team grinds and how much y fight.”

Sánchez, benched in Game 1, had a two-run homer and Giancarlo Stanton connected on a solo shot for New York, which was down 4-0 in first.

Yankees were two different teams this season as y played much better at home in Bronx than on road, going 11-18.

y entered this expanded postseason as a . 5 seed and t scaring anyone, but w y've got momentum.

“When we’re right,” Boone said before Game 2, “it doesn’t matter where we are.”

Down 8-6 and ir postseason in jeopardy of a quick ending, Indians tied it in seventh on pinch-hitter Jordan Luplow's two-out, two-run double off right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga following a gutty move by Alomar.

With two on, Alomar sent Luplow to plate instead of Josh Naylor, who became first player in major league history to get five hits in his first five postseason plate appearances.

Luplow smoked a ball to center that went over Aaron Hicks' head and brought in two to tie it, sending Cleveland's bench into a frenzy.

A two-time All-Star, Sánchez was benched for opener after hitting .147 over 60 games, and he batted ninth for first time in his career in Game 2.

But he rewarded Boone's faith by connecting in sixth inning off Indians rookie Triston McKenzie with a wind-aided shot to right that barely cleared wall and snapped a 6-all tie.

“He’s shown me a lot last couple of days,” Boone said of his catcher.

Indians will w head into an offseason of uncertainty.

All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor went 1 for 8 in series and may have played his last game in Cleveland. Indians have him under control for one more season, but he's turned down several contract offers and club may have choice but to trade him before he becomes a free nt.

Yankees had rallied from a 4-0 deficit to take a 5-4 lead in fourth on Urshela's grand slam, which looked as if it might haunt Cleveland fans for years.

Urshela, who started at third base for Indians in 2017 postseason against Yankees, connected off reliever James Karinchak after Alomar pulled starter Carlos Carrasco with bases loaded.

Alomar wasn't taking any chances and pulled right-hander for Karinchak, a quirky reliever who warms up to “Wild Thing" and wears . 99 after fictional Ricky Vaughn character in “Major League.”

move backfired as Urshela blasted a 3-2 pitch onto tarp-covered bleachers in left.

AR CHANCE

Depending on what happens with Francona, Alomar could be Cleveland's next manr. former Indians All-Star catcher has been a manrial candidate elsewhere in past, but never felt any of opportunities were genuine.

“Some of interviews were, to me, token interviews,” he said. “If somebody’s interested, y can call and we’ll talk. But it’s t like I’m pushing myself or promoting myself to be a manr."

TRAINER'S ROOM

Indians: C Roberto Pérez left with a bruised right hand after being hit by a pitch in seventh.

UP NEXT

Yankees: Some rest before ALDS begins on Monday.

Indians: A potentially turbulent offseason of major decisions on Lindor, Francona's health and perhaps a name change.

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