New York Yankees closer David Bednar had fans’ hearts pounding in the ninth, allowing a run and loading the bases with one out.
It was the kind of inning that felt like watching a tightrope walker stumble but somehow regain balance before falling.
Carlos Correa and Christian Walker both represented the tying run, but Bednar reared back and struck them out emphatically to give the Yankees an 8-4 win and a series victory over the Houston Astros.
That escape sealed the series win in Houston and pushed New York closer in their relentless chase for the AL East crown, three games behind the Toronto Blue Jays.
McMahon sparks Yankees with multi-hit night
Ryan McMahon continues to heat up at the most critical stretch of the Yankees’ season, delivering clutch hit after clutch hit.
He opened the scoring with a second-inning RBI single, then launched a solo homer in the fifth to put New York ahead 2-1.
With Houston threatening in the eighth, McMahon came through again, logging a two-out single that restored a slim 5-3 Yankees advantage.
RBI MCSINGLE FOR MCMAHON!
THREE RBI NIGHT FOR THE MC!pic.twitter.com/rY9aMJE9Qg
— Fireside Yankees (@FiresideYankees) September 5, 2025
That hit set the stage for the night’s turning point, proving McMahon’s timing at the plate couldn’t have been sharper.
Grisham’s towering blast changes everything
Trent Grisham followed McMahon’s single with the swing that silenced Houston’s crowd and energized the Yankees dugout completely.
His towering three-run home run pushed a narrow 5-3 lead into a commanding 8-3 cushion in the blink of an eye.
That moment carried the weight of a haymaker punch—leaving the Astros stunned while the Yankees roared with renewed confidence.
Without Grisham’s blast, Bednar’s ninth-inning drama might have unfolded under much darker circumstances for New York’s bullpen.
Cruz delivers a pivotal escape
Fernando Cruz entered the game in the seventh with the game 4-3, the tying run looming and Jose Altuve striding to the plate.
Aaron Boone called on him after Luke Weaver allowed a pinch-hit homer and a pair of dangerous two-out singles.
Cruz unleashed his devastating splitter to strike out Altuve, preserving the Yankees’ lead in a razor-thin, high-pressure moment.
FERNANDO CRUZ STRIKES OUT ALTUVE TO HOLD THE LEAD! pic.twitter.com/cQOHwpA7Wh
— Talkin’ Yanks (@TalkinYanks) September 5, 2025
That strikeout felt like a turning point, stopping Houston’s rally cold and energizing the dugout for the final stretch.
Rodón sets the tone early
Before the late-inning fireworks, Carlos Rodón set the foundation with six steady innings of determined, efficient starting pitching.
He allowed just two runs—only one earned—on three hits and two walks while striking out three Astros hitters.
Rodón may not have piled up strikeouts, but his ability to limit damage showed poise and discipline against Houston’s lineup.
With the outing, he trimmed his ERA to 3.12 and tied for the league lead in victories at sixteen.
Chisholm’s injury scare
Not all the news from the night was positive, as Jazz Chisholm Jr. left the game with contusions on both knees.
The infielder appeared uncomfortable in the fourth inning, prompting trainers and Aaron Boone to remove him as a precaution.
Reports suggest the injuries occurred on separate defensive plays, leaving Chisholm sore but likely not facing an extended absence.
Still, until the Yankees offer more clarity, fans will anxiously await confirmation that their sparkplug remains on track.
A playoff atmosphere in September
From Rodón’s steady hand to McMahon’s bat and Grisham’s blast, the Yankees proved resilient against Houston’s postseason-caliber fight.
The Astros had multiple chances to shift momentum, but Cruz and Bednar turned pivotal moments into defining stops.
It wasn’t perfect baseball, but it was the kind of gritty, heart-racing win that builds character heading into October.
And for the Yankees, who sit within striking distance of first place, that resilience may prove to be the difference.
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