Yankees Avoid Sweep Over Dodgers In Late Inning Heroics
From Two‑Game Defeat To a Comeback
The Yankees entered the final game of the three‑game set searching for a lifeline after fumbling away the first two contests. A misstep by manager Aaron Boone and a dominant start from Yoshinobu Yamamoto left the Bombers down 2‑0. The team needed a rally that would stun both the clubhouse and the stands, and the Brew Crew found just that in a hastily assembled bullpen effort.
The starting rotation, which saw Gerrit Cole and Cam Schlittler on the mound in the series opener and second game, was set aside for an unconventional lineup. Yankees manager Aaron Boone turned to a bullpen game for the finale, hoping to eke out a win before the season’s momentum slipped further.
Pitching Revival In The Bullpen
The turning point arrived on the mound when Ryan Yarbrough took the ball. He retired the first eight Dodgers’ hitters on just 17 pitches, posting a six‑inning stretch that felt like a memory from his breakout June performance against the Dodgers. After a pair of hits by Eliezer Alfonzo and Shohei Ohtani, Boone summoned Paul Blackburn, the “recently‑minted relief ace,” who fanned Andy Pages to keep the inning alive.
Blackburn delivered two scoreless frames, followed by Brent Headrick’s immaculate two‑inning surge that included three strikeouts. The bullpen’s collective poise was undone when Fernando Cruz gave up a game‑tying solo homer to Tommy Edman. David Bednar later sealed the victory with a five‑out save, striking out two in the ninth after a leadoff walk by Freddie Freeman.
Offensive Struggles And Key Plays
The Yankees offense could only muster two runs, both coming in the fourth inning. Paul Goldschmidt sparked the scoring with a two‑out double, which Cody Bellinger turned into an RBI single up the middle. Jasson Domínguez added a single of his own, but the Bombers could not push more across the plate.
Several chances evaporated: a pair of walks by Anthony Volpe and Austin Wells were nullified by a groundout, and a bases‑loaded jam produced by Ben Rice, Goldschmidt, and Bellinger ended with three consecutive strikeouts. The Yankees left 11 runners on base and went 2‑for‑10 with runners in scoring position.
The Walk‑Off Heroics
With the game knotted at 1‑1, Jazz Chisholm Jr. delivered the decisive blow. He launched a go‑ahead solo home run off reliever Evan Phillips in the eighth inning, erasing the earlier deficit. The blast came after a frustrating pop‑out with the bases loaded in the fifth, turning a potential loss into a bittersweet victory.
After the homer, Ryan McMahon added a pinch‑hit double and Wells walked, but both were stranded when Trent Grisham popped out. Bednar’s ninth‑inning work sealed the 2‑1 win, delivering a crucial boost to the Yanks’ playoff hopes.
What It Means For The Yankees
This win snaps a skid that had seen the Yankees go 1‑9 in their last ten home games, providing a psychological lift ahead of the upcoming series. Even though the offense remains inconsistent—scoring two runs across three games—the bullpen’s reliability in critical moments offers a foundation for improvement. The victory keeps the Yanks just a game and a half behind the AL East lead, despite a recent sweep by the Rays.
The upcoming three‑game set against the Pirates will test whether the momentum can carry forward. Paul Skenes is scheduled to start for Pittsburgh, while the Yankees will counter with Ryan Weathers. First pitch is slated for 7:05 pm ET on Monday night, returning to YES.
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