Dramatic Game 3 win could be momentum shift Guardians were looking for

Momentum in sports is a funny thing. Very few sports have it on a game-to-game basis, with baseball having the best argument over any other sport in regards to authenticity. Playoff baseball is a completely different animal. For momentum to truly change in the postseason, the event that sparks that change must be incredibly extraordinary and possess a certain level of theatrics to see the desired seismic shift occur. This may very well have occurred on Thursday night.

Following a forgettable outing from closer Emmanuel Clase against the heart of the Yankees' lineup, the Guardians were able to fight back at a time that no one outside of Cleveland could have ever envisioned. First, it was Jhonkensy Noel's game-tying two-run homer to tie the game at 5 in the bottom of the 9th with two outs in the inning to force extras. This was followed by David Fry playing hero in the bottom of the 10th, crushing a walk-off two-run homer to win Game 3 by a score of 7-5, and with it, the path to the World Series for New York is no longer lacking resistance.

When assessing how things unfolded on the corner of Carnegie and Ontario, it certainly seems like everything that is needed for a momentum shift is present. There was drama, theatrics, unlikely heroes, and a result that did not appear likely to happen. All the ingredients for momentum to shift in a playoff series clearly unfolded for the Guardians, and this cannot go unnoticed. This team still has a lot more fight left in them despite looking dead in the water. Being able to win in this fashion is a hallmark of teams that go on to accomplish the ultimate team goal.

Should the Guardians end up winning the ALCS, what transpired late in Game 3 will be what everyone will point to as the moment the series changed. Cleveland should be able to ride the momentum from the extra-innings victory into Game 4 but they will need to keep delivering haymakers if they are going to keep the Yankees from answering.