The New York Yankees walked into Saturday’s game knowing the Cleveland Guardians were breathing down their necks in the playoff race.
After dropping six of their last seven, the Yankees felt the pressure of a shrinking postseason cushion at Yankee Stadium.
The Guardians sat just half a game back, one good weekend away from stealing the Yankees’ October dreams right out from under them.
But in the eighth inning, Trent Grisham launched a go-ahead homer that reignited the Bronx crowd and jolted New York’s dugout.
And when Aaron Boone handed the ball to David Bednar for a tense five-out save, the stadium held its collective breath.
New York’s 5-4 win over the Houston Astros didn’t just buy them breathing room — it delivered much-needed hope before Sunday’s finale.
Bednar Slams the Door in High-Wire Relief Performance
Camilo Doval took the mound in the eighth with a two-run lead, hoping to quietly shut down Houston’s late-game momentum.
He walked the ninth hitter but fanned Jeremy Peña, seemingly settling in before disaster struck on a routine play back to the mound.
Jesus Sanchez chopped one softly toward Doval, but his throw to second pulled Anthony Volpe off the bag, costing them a sure double play.
Bad throw from Doval and the Astros now have base runners at first and second pic.twitter.com/x4lBs1JZAO
— Talkin’ Yanks (@TalkinYanks) August 9, 2025
That error cracked the door open, and Jose Altuve pounced, driving in a run as Jasson Domínguez’s errant throw (and the fact that no one cut it off to prevent the runners from advancing) let Houston inch closer.
This error isn’t on Dominguez. It wasn’t a great throw but the throw needs to be cutoff or stopped by Doval. pic.twitter.com/ERA563XIPl
— Yankeesource (@YankeeSource) August 9, 2025
After a walk to Carlos Correa loaded the bases, Boone made the high-stakes call — bringing in Bednar with one out.
Bednar’s first at-bat didn’t inspire confidence — a walk to Christian Walker tied the game and kept the bases loaded with one out.
But the veteran righty bore down, striking out Yainer Díaz and Taylor Trammell with the kind of poise you expect from October arms.
Given a fresh 5-4 lead after Grisham’s blast, Bednar calmly handled the ninth, silencing the Astros without allowing a single baserunner.
Grisham Delivers Another Clutch Moment
When the game hung in the balance, Grisham stepped in against lefty Bryan King, already smelling the moment’s potential in the Bronx air.
He jumped on a 3-1 fastball, sending it 408 feet into right field as sunlight poured over Yankee Stadium’s upper decks.
Trent Grisham gives the @Yankees the lead in the Bronx! 💪 pic.twitter.com/ErDSbhOHG7
— MLB (@MLB) August 9, 2025
The Yankees’ dugout erupted as if someone had cracked open a bottle of playoff adrenaline, celebrating like it was mid-October already.
It marked Grisham’s 21st homer of the season and once again cemented his growing reputation as a late-inning difference-maker.
Some hitters wilt in pressure — Grisham seems to grow sharper, like a blade being honed for one perfect swing.
Luis Gil’s Encouraging Outing Gives Yankees Hope
Luis Gil, making just his second start since returning from a season-long lat strain, showed flashes of the ace he could still become.
After yielding a leadoff homer to Peña, Gil quickly recalibrated, mixing pitches with precision to keep Houston’s bats largely in check.
He lasted 5.1 innings, surrendering two runs on six hits with just one walk, striking out seven to navigate dangerous traffic effectively.
It wasn’t dominance wire-to-wire, but Gil’s ability to pitch through jams suggested a steady climb back toward peak form is underway.
For the Yankees, his continued progress could be as important as any late-season trade — another arm they can truly trust.
READ MORE: Jorge Posada sends urgent wake-up call to slumping Yankees