Pinch hitter Lane Thomas hit a tiebreaking double to start a six-run 12th inning for the Cleveland Guardians, who earned a marathon 9-5 victory over the host New York Yankees on Tuesday night.
Thomas helped the Guardians avoid a fourth straight loss and win for the sixth time in 16 games on a night when they drew 14 walks, stranded 20 and went 7-for-24 with runners in scoring position.
The righty-hitting Thomas batted for Bo Naylor against New York left-handed reliever Tim Mayza (0-2) and lined a 2-2 pitch to left field to easily score automatic runner Daniel Schneeman.
It was the outfielder’s seventh hit in 54 at-bats since being acquired at the trade deadline from the Washington Nationals.
Rookie Jhonkensy Noel capped the big inning with an infield single.
Emmanuel Clase pitched two innings for the first time this season and Tim Herrin (5-0) stranded two in the 11th before Cleveland’s big inning.
Aaron Judge hit a two-run double off Scott Barlow before Alex Verdugo made the final out of the four-hour, three-minute marathon.
Cleveland stopped a three-game losing streak after being held to four runs in a three-game sweep at Milwaukee over the weekend.
The Yankees lost for the third time in four games. New York went 1-for-16 with runners in scoring position and stranded 12.
New York rookie starter Luis Gil allowed three runs on three hits in three-plus innings before leaving with lower back tightness. Gil walked six and exited after throwing a pitch to Jose Ramirez three batters into the fourth.
Juan Soto and Judge hit back-to-back homers in the first inning off Cleveland’s Matthew Boyd. Anthony Volpe hit a tying double in the fourth for New York, which lost for the third time in four games.
Brayan Rocchio homered off Gil to open the fourth, but Cleveland left the bases loaded in the fifth and stranded a runner at third in the sixth, hit into a bases-loaded double play in the 10th before breaking through in the 12th.
Boyd allowed three runs on four hits in 3 1/3 innings. He struck out two and walked four.