The New York Yankees have won the pennant.

The Yankees won the American League Championship Series on Saturday with a thrilling Game 5 win against the Cleveland Guardians. This is the team's first World Series appearance since 2009.

New York Yankees 5, Cleveland Guardians 2

New York wins series 4-1 New York is headed to the World Series for the first time since 2009 after winning the last two of three dramatic games against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field.

Juan Soto showed why he's the most complete hitter in the game with a great at-bat against Hunter Gaddis in the 10th. He fouled off four pitches after falling behind 1-2, then hit a three-run homer to right-center. The jubilant Bombers spilled out of the visitors' dugout in celebration.

The Yankees got three runs without really earning them. Cleveland shortstop Brayan Rocchio messed up a catch on a flip that could have ended the inning with a double play. That was a fitting symbol of a series in which the Guardians were at times visibly struggling and their margin of error in the matchup was minimal.

On the night of the 2024 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, not far from the ballpark, the Yankees are celebrating their victory in Cleveland. The Guardians, who last won the World Series in 1948, are still waiting for their next title.

One way or another, we're headed for a classic big-market World Series showdown. The Yankees can now head home and see who survives the Dodgers-Mets series in the NLCS. We're either going to get the second Yankees-Mets edition of the Subway Series or the 11th edition of the Yankees-Dodgers rivalry in the Fall Classic, which is the first since 1981. -