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CLEVELAND — In the biggest moments of the season and playoffs, Petey Halpin has repeatedly stepped into the batter's box for the Guardians. And remarkably, it's Halpin who has delivered some of Cleveland's most crucial swings in recent weeks.
While Jose Ramirez powered the Guardians to three straight elimination-game wins in the ALDS, and Jo Adell, Nate Lowe, and Patrick Bailey made major contributions in the ALCS Game 1 victory, those performances were somewhat expected. But it was Halpin—largely viewed all year as a fourth outfielder with solid center-field defense—who launched the decisive go-ahead home run in the Guardians' 3-2 win in Game 3 of the ALCS, giving them a 2-1 series lead over the Tampa Bay Rays heading into Game 4 at Progressive Field.
Ramirez is the star third baseman. Adell, Lowe, and Bailey were all mid-season additions. Halpin doesn't have the same track record or expectations. Yet he now owns two of the biggest home runs of the last month.
The first came on Sept. 16 against the Chicago White Sox in arguably the biggest regular-season win of the year—a go-ahead homer in the sixth inning. The second came on Thursday, Oct. 15, in ALCS Game 3, when he drilled a go-ahead, two-run shot off Rays starter Griffin Jax, also in the sixth inning. Both were massive swings that turned the tide.
"Petey's the man," said Gavin Williams, who earned the win with nine strikeouts over five innings in Game 3. "I mean, not even just the postseason, but throughout the regular season, he's done it. He's come up big in the moments we need him."
Halpin, a rookie outfielder, was promoted to the majors partly due to a rash of injuries. He was then added to the playoff lineup near the end of the ALDS partly because Angel Martinez was struggling significantly. Circumstances keep putting his bat in the lineup, and twice he has come through with massively critical home runs.
"Yeah, I mean, he's feisty," Lowe said. "He's a great player, and obviously having success on the big stage now."
Halpin posted a .225 average and .594 OPS during the regular season. He was largely on the playoff roster for his defense in center field and perhaps as a late-game speed option. Instead, he drilled the biggest home run of the series to date.
"I'm really happy for Petey," said manager Stephen Vogt, who has the Guardians two wins away from the World Series. "It's the second time he's kind of picked us up in a big spot this year."
Halpin's Bat Flip Becomes Its Own Highlight
Halpin also unleashed one of the bat flips of the century on that home run, flipping it far over his head before starting his jog around the bases. He flipped it so high that in most replays of the homer, the bat ends up out of the camera frame.
"That was nasty. That was a nasty one," said Steven Kwan, speaking about the bat flip. Kwan jokingly added, "The bat flip he did was just ignorant, but in a good way. That was awesome."
It looked like a no-doubter off the bat, but the wind was blowing in at Progressive Field and nearly knocked it down enough to keep it in the ballpark. It cleared the wall, but perhaps not by as much as one would have thought when it left the bat.
"I mean, [the bat] was up there," Lowe said. "I'm glad the ball got out because if not, he's still standing there, it clangs off the wall and there's definitely a play at second base. But as long as it's in the seats, you can celebrate hitting a go-ahead homer however you want."
Halpin got just enough of it, and the Guardians ended up with a 2-1 lead in the ALCS. They also now lead the series in comically exuberant bat flips.
"I looked at it after. I definitely threw it high," Halpin said. "I think just the moment and that being for sure the biggest moment of my career, just the energy and the excitement, just kind of let it go. I knew I hit it good. I thought I got more of it, I guess. When it got out, I kind of threw it. But it's only gotta go, you know, a little bit over the wall."
Ryan Lewis covers the Guardians for the Beacon Journal. He can be reached at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Petey Halpin lifts Guardians with home run, bat flip in ALCS Game 3.
Originally reported by yahoo.