Watch: Juan Soto crushes Guardians' hopes with clutch go-ahead home run to send Yankees to World Series
The New York Yankees are World Series bound for the first time since 2009 and it was the newcomer Juan Soto who came up clutch in Game 5 of the ALCS against the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday.
Soto, who joined the Yankees in the offseason, struck a home run in the top of the 10th with two runners on base to give the Yankees a 5-2 lead.
Following the go-ahead home run, Soto caught a fly ball from Lane Thomas in the bottom tenth to end the game, clinching the AL Pennant for the Yankees.
This was Juan Soto's 10th home run in the postseason, the joint second-most by a player before turning 26. Former Houston Astros Carlos Correa tops the list with 11 home runs.
Furthermore, Soto is only the second Yankees player to strike an extra-inning home run to clinch a championship series. Yankees manager Aaron Boone is the only other Yankees player to do so in the 2003 ALCS Game 7.
This would be the club's 41st World Series appearance and the Bronx Bombers will face the winner of the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets' National League Championship Series.
Juan Soto reflects on Yankees clinching World Series berth after ALCS triumph
The Yankees lived up to their tag as favorites heading into the championship series, although the Guardians gave them a tough fight only to be eliminated in five games.
“It sounds amazing,” Soto said on making the World Series. “We did a really good job here. Since Day 1, we were grinding and working really hard. Now, we are the best team in the American League.”
While Soto grabbed the limelight with his go-ahead home run, it was Giancarlo Stanton who brought the Yankees level in the game with a two-run homer, his 16th in the postseason for the Yankees, overtaking Aaron Judge and Babe Ruth's tally.
Soto said of Stanton after the veteran slugger was named the ALCS MVP:
“That’s our guy. He put us in the game since Day 1 of the playoffs. We’re really happy to have him.”
The Yankees will face the winner of the NLCS between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets in the Fall Classic.