Yankees must prove they can get off the mat after gut-wrenching Game 3 loss

CLEVELAND — It wasn’t three-games-to-none.But it was just about as close as you can get.Not only because Luke Weaver was ahead of Lane Thomas 0-2 with two outs in the ninth and the Yankees up two runs.

But because of how the Yankees had flipped the game the inning before.Not just back-to-back homers by Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton.

But of the game’s best closer, Emmanuel Clase.So it was going to be as stirring a victory as existed in the Aaron Era — Judge and Boone.One strike to three-and-oh in this fashion.

The doorstep of the World Series.Then Luke Weaver gave up a two-run homer to Jhonkensy Noel after allowing a full-count Thomas double.Tie score.

Then Clay Holmes surrendered a two-out, two-run walkoff shot to David Fry in the 10th.And if you want, close your eyes Yankees fans, this all occurred on the 20th anniversary of the Yanks on the precipice of sweeping the Red Sox in the ALCS and then Dave Roberts stole a base and triggered what was the greatest comeback in MLB history as Boston won four straight, ended The Curse and won its first championship since 1918.Yeah, these Guardians are not those Red Sox.

But these Yankees are not those tough-minded champion Yankees.And now it is not three-nothing.

It is two games to one, Yankees still ahead, but both teams having bullpens on fumes, which potentially opens the door to funky stuff.So the Yankees all had the right sound from their choir — gut-wrenching loss, but belief they are good at turning the page and they will, etc.But what Weaver failed to close opened what the Yankees did not want to see open, obviously — an underdog suddenly with more of a fighting chance.

An underdog who might not have The Curse, but has gone the longest of any franchise (since 1948) of last winning a title.“I just really felt like I let the team down there, myself down,” Weaver said.“It feels a little devastating at the end of the day.”The Yankees did not play well, but like so often when they did not pl...