KANSAS CITY, Mo. Despite him pulling off the unthinkable on Wednesday night and stealing a base, Giancarlo Stantons lack of speed had cost the Yankees multiple chances to score earlier this series. Turns out, it does not matter one bit how well the veteran designated hitter moves when he is trotting around the bases after crushing a moonshot. Tapping into his clutch postseason form, Stanton clobbered a solo home run in the eighth inning to lift the Yankees to a 3-2, Game 3 win over the Royals and a 2-1 lead in the ALDS at Kauffman Stadium. Giancarlo Stantons homer gave the Yankees the lead in their 3-2 ALDS Game 3 over the Royals on Oct. 9, 2024. JASON SZENES/NEW YORK POST Hes a killer, manager Aaron Boone said. Its remarkable I just admire how well hes able to focus in these big moments and just go to a different place mentally. Stanton, who went 3-for-4 and added an RBI double to his game-winning homer, skied the decisive blast so high that a handful of his teammates spilled out of the dugout onto the field and had been celebrating for a few seconds by the time the ball finally landed beyond the visiting bullpen in left field. Explore More Giancarlo Stanton celebrates his big Yankees homer. JASON SZENES/NEW YORK POST Ernie Yake Jersey Lefty Kris Bubic threw a 3-1 slider beneath the zone and Stanton demolished it 417 feet into the night. This is what I came here for, Stanton said of his postseason succe s, which includes 26 RBIs over his last 24 playoff games. Not always going to be succe sful here, but just got to keep working and put yourself in the best opportunity. It broke a 2-2 tie and silenced a sellout crowd that spent most of the night amped up for its first playoff game in nine years and lustily booing Jazz Chisholm Jr. for saying the Royals had gotten lucky in their Game 2 win. The Yankees bullpen made sure the homer stood up, continuing its strong series by to sing 4 / shutout innings in relief of Clarke Schmidt making it 13 / innings without allowing an earned run through three games. Clay Holmes and Tommy Kahnle each recorded four outs before Luke Weaver nailed down five for the save, moving the Yankees one win away from advancing to the ALCS with Gerrit Cole on the mound for Game 4 on Thursday night. The Yankees celebrate their ALDS Game 3 win on Wednesday night. JASON SZENES/NEW YORK POST We need to wrap it up [Thursday], Stanton said. Early on Wednesday afternoon at an empty Kauffman Stadium, Stanton walked onto the field with a few Yankees coaches to take batting practice off a pitching machine. He wanted to see the hitting backdrop, see how the ball flew off of high velocity and not just a coach throwing batting practice. Luke Weaver closed out the win for the Yankees. JASON SZENES/NEW YORK POST The extra work paid immediate dividends as Stanton collected a three-hit night to go with his first steal since 2020. That was my favorite part, Aaron Judge said. I liked the homer, but showing a little wheels out there too to get in scoring position for [Anthony] Volpe was definitely big-time. Schmidt and Seth Lugo dueled early before both handed the ball off to their bullpen with the game tied 2-2 after five innings. Clarke Schmidt got the start for the Yankees in Game 3. JASON SZENES/NEW YORK POST The Yankees again struggled with runners in scoring position, going 0-for-6 to make it 3-for-25 in the series. But after getting robbed of a chance to take the lead in the third inning, when with a runner on first was called foul (and stood upon replay review), they bounced back in the next inning. Stanton delivered the Yankees first hit of the night in the fourth, ripping a bullet double off the left-center field wall to score Juan Soto all the way from first with some help from an off-target relay throw to the plate from shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. for the 1-0 lead. Juan Soto couldnt make a diving catch in the fifth inning. JASON SZENES/NEW YORK POST Juan Soto scores on a Stanton double in the Yankees win. JASON SZENES/NEW YORK POST The Yankees made it 2-0 in the fifth by manufacturing a run, with a sacrifice bunt from Alex Verdugo and a sacrifice fly by Soto. Follow The Posts coverage of the Yankees in the postseason: Schmidt was one strike away from getting through five scorele s innings before the Royals pounced for an infield single, double and triple to tie it and electrify Kauffman Stadium. But the power show ultimately belonged to Stanton, who had the biggest swing of the night to bring the Yankees to the brink of advancing. Hes so good at locking in in these big games, Boone said. I thought that at-bat off Bubic was just phenomenal. I think he went up there looking to do damage. New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton reacts after connecting on a solo home run against the Kansas City Royals in the eighth inning during Game three of the American League Division Series (ALDS) at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mi souri, USA, Wednesday, October 09, 2024. JASON SZENES/NEW YORK POST Laid off all the right pitches and just put a great swing on it on what was obviously a great night for him, including adding the stolen base for good measure. Carlos Santana Jersey