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Yankees vs. Royals score: Giancarlo Stanton helps New York take 2-1 ALDS lead over Kansas City

The Yankees will now look to clinch an ALCS berth Thursday

The New York Yankees defeated the Kansas City Royals in ALDS Game 3 on Wednesday night by a 3-2 final. The Yankees, in turn, have now secured a 2-1 advantage in their best-of-five series. The Yankees can punch their ticket to the AL Championship Series with a victory on Thursday night in Game 4 -- the Royals, meanwhile, can force a winner-take-all Game 5 on Saturday. On the other side of the bracket, the Tigers also took a 2-1 lead over the Guardians and will similarly look to clinch Thursday.

Here are three things to know about the Yankees-Royals Game 3 and a look ahead to Game 4.

1. Stanton goes off

Yankees DH Giancarlo Stanton has quietly been an accomplished postseason hitter throughout his career. He entered Wednesday having batted .250/.319/.596 with 11 home runs and 25 runs batted in over his first 29 postseason games. He added to those marks in Game 3 by notching three hits, including a run-scoring double and the go-ahead home run in the top of the eighth inning. Take a look:

Stanton became the first Yankees player to hit a go-ahead run in the eighth inning or later of a postseason game since Raul Ibanez did it in the 2012 ALDS, according to MLB's Bryan Hoch.

Perhaps the most remarkable part of Stanton's night occurred after the single, when he stole his first base in nearly 500 games. That's not an exaggeration: Stanton had not swiped a bag since August 3, 2020, against the Philadelphia Phillies. That was 498 games ago, regular season and postseason, according to CBS Sports HQ's research staff.

In other words, Stanton did it all on Wednesday.

2. Judge's struggles continue

Whereas Stanton went off on Wednesday, fellow slugger Aaron Judge continued his prolonged postseason slump. 

Judge went 0 for 4 with a walk and a strikeout, the K coming on a questionable check-swing ruling. Nevertheless, Judge will now enter Thursday with the highest strikeout percentage in postseason play history (minimum 210 plate appearances) at 33.4%, again according to CBS Sports HQ's research staff.

Judge's struggles date back multiple postseasons. In fact, he's now 7 for his last 51 with two home runs and three runs batted in since October 2021. 

3. Both bullpens do work

Managers Aaron Boone and Matt Quatraro took advantage of Tuesday's day off by leveraging their relief corps in an aggressive manner on Wednesday.

Boone lifted starter Clarke Schmidt with two outs in the fifth inning, turning to a combination of three relievers: Clay Holmes, Tommy Kahnle, and Luke Weaver. They cumulatively surrendered no runs on two hits and a walk. They recorded just one strikeout, but the Yankees will take the topline result all the same.

Quatraro allowed Seth Lugo to complete five innings of work. He then trotted out six different relievers over ensuing four innings. That parade included Angel Zerpa, John Schreiber, Sam Long, Brady Singer, Kris Bubic, and Michael Lorenzen. All together, they allowed one run on two hits and four walks. They punched out three.

Of all those relievers used, only Bubic threw more than 20 pitches. (He tossed 26.) As such, Boone and Quatraro should be able to turn to their bullpen as needed in Game 4.

4. Series continues on Thursday

The Yankees and Royals will meet again at Kauffman Stadium on Thursday night for Game 4. With a win, the Yankees will advance to the American League Championship Series. They'll take on the winner of the Detroit Tigers vs. Cleveland Guardians ALDS. As it stands, the Tigers will enter Thursday with a 2-1 advantage of their own. 

A Royals win, meanwhile, would force a Game 5 on Saturday at Yankee Stadium.

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Live updates
 

Lugo has issued another walk. The bases are loaded. Juan Soto is due up.

 

Zerpa warming.

 

Verdugo bunts to advance the runners to second and third. 

 

Yankees now have two on and none out after a walk. 

 

Volpe with a leadoff single. Yankees looking to add to their 1-0 lead here in the fifth.

 

Four scoreless innings for Clarke Schmidt

He missed about four months with a lat strain, but was in the middle of what looked like a breakout year before that. Stuff has never been a question there. The only question is whether he can command it consistent, and he has in 2024.

 

Through four, Yankees remain up 1-0.

 

Salvador Perez flies out. Two down here in the fourth.

 

Schmidt walks Pasquantino with one out in the fourth. 

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Chisholm does not score Stanton. It's 1-0 Yankees heading into the bottom of the fourth.

 

Stanton gives the Yankees a 1-0 lead

A deep double to center by Stanton plates Soto from first base. It represents the Yankees' first hit and run of the evening. Here's a look:

With two outs in the inning, we'll see if Chisholm can bring in Stanton -- would probably require an extra-base hit given Stanton's lack of mobility. 

 

Judge flies out to left field. Sounded good off the bat. He's now 6 for his last 45 in the playoffs.

 

Soto walks to open the fourth. Judge up.

 

Schmidt too is through three innings. Still 0-0. 

 

Witt and Torres have both hit fly balls to the warning track in right field. Both would have been homers in Yankee Stadium, which is not where this game is being played.

 

Torres hits a deeper ball to right that Frazier took a scenic route to before completing the transaction. Lugo's through three scoreless -- and hitless -- innings.

 

Call stands. Just an exciting foul ball. 

 

It looks about as close as it gets on the replay angle.

 

The Yankees are challenging if this ball landed in fair territory. Would be their first hit.

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Schmidt gets out of the frame without Gurriel's double mattering. It's 0-0 through two. 

 

Yuli Gurriel with a one-out double to left to give the Royals a scoring opportunity in the second.

 

Jazz Chisholm Jr. grounded out to end the second, much to the delight of the KC crowd. He said the Royals got lucky after their Game 2 win. No baserunners for either team yet in this one.

 

1-2-3 top of the first, 1-2-3 bottom of the first. Witt hit one to the warning track. He's had some rockets find gloves this series. Witt is now 0 for 11 in the ALDS.

 

Here is the Witt play:
 

Judge also drills a ball -- right at Witt for the third out. Royals coming to bat.

 

Soto puts a charge into one to dead center, but Isbel has just enough room to secure the ball on the track.

 

Thanks to the TBS broadcast, I just learned Centenary College's baseball team (Seth Lugo's alma mater) is the Centenary College Gentlemen. Excellent team name.

 

Torres grounds out to Witt to begin the game.

 

Yankees-Royals about to get underway

The series is tied 1-1. Seth Lugo vs. Clarke Schmidt in Kansas City.

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Tigers shut out Guardians in Game 3 for 2-1 series lead

The Detroit Tigers twirled a second straight shutout on Wednesday and took a 2-1 lead in their best-of-five American League Division Series against the Cleveland Guardians. The 3-0 win over the visiting Guards in Game 3 means the Tigers are only one win away from advancing to the ALCS for the first time since 2013. 

In Game 2, the dominant seven-inning start from ace and AL Cy Young favorite Tarik Skubal was the story for Detroit. In Game 3, however, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch dialed up a bullpen game. While the Guardians mounted occasional threats, they were unable to push a run across for a second straight game. Particularly crucial to the Detroit cause was Brant Hurter, whose 3 ⅓ scoreless innings in relief of opener Keider Montero provided a vital bridge to the middle innings. As well, Beau Brieske thrived in leverage, as he's done so often recently for the Tigers – this time for six outs. 

On offense, the Tigers scored on a first-inning RBI single from Riley Greene and then a Matt Vierling sac fly in the third. Then Spencer Torkelson provided some insurance in the sixth with a run-scoring double, which was his first hit of the series. Vierling also made a key snag at third base in the seventh inning when, with two outs, the Guardians had the tying run at the plate and José Ramírez on deck: 

Game 4 will be Thursday back in Detroit, and it will be an elimination game for the AL Central-champion Guardians. The Guardians will come into that contest having been held scoreless for 20 consecutive innings by Detroit pitching. 

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