Tampa – Schlitt happens
Things didn’t play out as one might expect, but the Yankees certainly delivered a strong performance, managing to avoid any major blunders, even when they seemed to be in a tough spot.
After David Bednar faltered and gave up a two-run lead in the bottom of the ninth, Giancarlo Stanton and Austin Wells stepped up to secure a win for the Yankees, pulling off a 6-4 victory after ten tense innings at Steinbrenner Field.
Stanton came through with a pinch-hit two-run homer that sailed out to left field, and Wells added another home run right after, putting the Yankees ahead 6-3 against Devin Williams.
Williams did give up a single and allowed a run in the bottom of the 10th, which caused some nerves after he permitted a double, putting pressure on the Yankees. But he managed to strike out Chandler Simpson, Yandy Diaz, and Brandon Lowe to notch his first save since late July.
The Yankees (69-57) are now preparing for a series against the Red Sox in the Bronx, standing just 1½ games ahead of them and holding a two-game lead over the Mariners for the top AL wild card spot.
Meanwhile, on the mound at the same Steinbrenner Field, Cam Schlittler showcased his potential this spring, even pitching seven perfect innings before his bid for a perfect game was shattered. Simpson broke the streak with a single in the seventh, amidst a sold-out crowd of 10,046.
The 24-year-old finished with an impressive 6²/₃ shutout innings and eight strikeouts in his seventh big league start. He really dominated the Rays for most of the night with his fastball in the 90s and some nasty curveballs and cutters.
After the Rays got their first hit, the Yankees held onto a 2-0 lead, which felt precarious for a moment. But Luke Weaver came in to help save Schlittler by getting out of a tough situation.
Trent Grisham hit a second home run in the eighth inning, pushing the Yankees ahead to 3-0, but then Weaver allowed a solo home run to Bob Seymour that trimmed the lead to 3-1.
Bednar issued a walk and then faced Junior Caminero, followed by a strikeout. Yet, Feduccia managed to keep the game alive, hitting two doubles and tying it at three.
Schlittler didn’t even face a three-ball count until after his first hit was allowed, and then he struggled against three batters in the seventh. He had one walk and then battled against Caminero, throwing 95 pitches overall.
After pitching effectively throughout the early innings, Schlittler looked poised for a standout night.
He navigated the first three innings on just 28 pitches, showcasing a smooth rhythm and minimizing hard contact. He had only three two-ball counts going into the seventh inning.
