Yankees Overcome Late Drama to Beat Astros
Houston – The Yankees are navigating a challenging stretch of games, facing some tough opponents over a span of 12 matches.
Well, perhaps it’s more like five if you count Brian Walsh.
Yet, unlike the previous night when Walsh felt he had impacted the game in a negative way, the Yankees managed to handle another questionable call from him and secured an 8-4 win against the Astros on Thursday night.
During the game, Ryan McMahon’s mishap at third base—a dropped ball—added to the tension, especially as Cole brought the Astros closer with a hit in the sixth inning, raising some eyebrows over Walsh’s decision-making.
The score was tight at 4-3 when McMahon added some cushion with crucial RBIs in the eighth inning, followed by Trent Grisham’s impressive three-run homer, causing a stir among the 35,018 fans in attendance.
The ninth inning brought additional suspense.
David Bedner came in but allowed back-to-back hits, including a double from Taylor Trammel. This prompted Aaron Boone to discuss bat usage with crew chief Adrian Johnson.
After checking with the Replay Office back in New York, Johnson passed the bat to an official certifier for league review.
With the Astros (77-64) getting a tying run on deck, Bedner managed to close out the inning against Carlos Correa and Christian Walker.
This victory lifted the Yankees (78-62) as they prepare to return to New York for an important series against the Blue Jays.
The win also pushed the Yankees half a game ahead of the Red Sox in the wild card standings.
Before all the excitement, the Yankees faced their share of struggles, particularly with Jazz Chisholm Jr. going down in the fourth inning due to injuries.
In the seventh, Luke Weaver gave up a homer to Jesus Sanchez, and things got a bit worrisome when two Astros reached base with two outs.
Fortunately, Fernando Cruz came in and struck out the dangerous Jose Altuve to escape the jam. The Yankees had been reeling after their loss the previous night but managed to hold onto a 4-1 lead when the umpires once again made their presence felt.
In a pivotal moment, McMahon caught a soft liner but lost the ball during the transfer. Walsh, having already made some questionable calls, ruled that McMahon hadn’t secured the ball, leading to some heated discussions with Boone on the field, though the call couldn’t be reviewed.
Despite Boone’s attempts for clarity, he remained composed, which was a bit surprising given the circumstances.
Meanwhile, Carlos Rodon took on Correa, looking for a double play but settled for getting two outs instead, completing a solid outing with 109 pitches.
It was quite a match, especially in the fifth inning when McMahon excelled, going 3-4 with three RBIs, including a memorable home run to center field. Cody Bellinger also contributed with an RBI single, helping the Yankees extend their lead to 4-1, following a pitch clock violation that resulted in a walk for the Astros.
