If the present-day Yankees sought inspiration, they wanted to look no additional than Saturday afternoon’s Previous-Timer’s Day celebration.
This yr’s alumni occasion acknowledged the 2000 Yankees, who misplaced 13 of their ultimate 15 regular-season video games, solely to surge to a World Collection championship over the crosstown Mets.
That group’s supervisor, Joe Torre, believes this yr’s Yankees are able to the same turnaround.
“[Aaron Boone] knows what he has here,” Torre mentioned. “And he knows he’s gonna get a run out of these guys.”
It’s too early to inform if Saturday’s 5-4 win over the Houston Astros marked the beginning of that run, nevertheless it was definitely a step in the best route.
Trent Grisham’s go-ahead solo dwelling run within the backside of the eighth proved to be the game-winner, choosing up the Yankees after their protection and bullpen faltered within the prime of the inning.
“It just felt good to get the win,” Grisham mentioned. “I feel like we’re close to getting really, really hot, so just to get that and hopefully get something started felt good.”
Because the ball soared into the right-field second deck, Grisham paused at dwelling plate and flexed each arms in celebration.
The 2-out blast towards reliever Bryan King was Grisham’s fourth game-tying or go-ahead homer within the eighth inning or later.
“I just believe I’m ready for it, believe I’m built for it,” mentioned Grisham, who has a career-high 21 homers. “I just go in with that mindset.”
Grisham’s heroics capped a roller-coaster recreation through which Houston tied the rating with a two-run prime of the eighth.
Camilo Doval dedicated a throwing error on a Jesús Sánchez comebacker, turning what may have been an inning-ending double play right into a two-on, one-out jam.
Jose Altuve adopted with an RBI single, making it a 4-3 recreation. Left fielder Jasson Domínguez’s throw dwelling bought previous catcher Ben Rice, permitting the Astros to place runners on second and third.
“[The throw] kind of skipped into the runner a little bit, so Benny kind of got blocked out of it,” Boone mentioned. “I thought it was a good throw by [Domínguez], and just unfortunate how it skipped.”
Two batters later, reliever David Bednar issued a bases-loaded stroll to Christian Walker, tying the sport, 4-4.
However Bednar struck out the ultimate two batters of the eighth, then hurled a 1-2-3 ninth. The five-out efficiency got here three days after Bednar’s five-out, 42-pitch save in Texas.
“Whenever the phone rings, I’m ready to roll,” mentioned Bednar, who threw 23 pitches on Saturday.
All of that occurred after Yankees right-hander Luis Gil held Houston to 2 runs over 5.1 innings in his second begin of the season. Gil struck out seven towards one stroll on 91 pitches.
Boone described the outing as a “huge” step for Gil, who missed the season’s first 4 months with a high-grade lat pressure. In his season debut final weekend, Gil gave up 5 runs and 4 walks in 3.1 innings towards the Miami Marlins.
“I thought he had a presence with everything,” Boone mentioned of Saturday’s effort. “His fastball, changeup and slider were all important pitches for him. That was really good to see.”
Gil out-pitched Astros ace Framber Valdez, whom the Yankees tagged for 4 runs on eight hits and 4 walks in 5.2 innings.
Giancarlo Stanton drew a bases-loaded stroll within the first inning, then delivered an RBI single within the fifth.
Saturday marked Stanton’s first time enjoying the outfield since 2023. With Aaron Decide locked into DH obligation whereas he recovers from a flexor pressure in his proper elbow, Stanton began in proper subject. He practically threw Sánchez out at dwelling on Carlos Correa’s fourth-inning RBI single.
“I felt good,” Stanton mentioned. “I thought I was picking up the ball well, had a good exchange on the throw. I felt pretty comfortable.”
The Yankees (62-55) are 20-28 since June 13, however with Saturday’s win, they maintained their maintain on the third and ultimate American League wild card place.
They search a collection victory on Sunday afternoon, with Max Fried (12-4, 2.78 ERA) set to start out for the Yankees and Jason Alexander (2-1, 5.97 ERA) scheduled to pitch for Houston.
Initially Revealed: August 9, 2025 at 4:26 PM EDT
