Bednar Saves It & Wins It As Yankee Bats Execute. NY 5 ChiSox 3 in 11

August 31, 2025 paperbacklou 2025 0
Austin Wells solo HR put NY up 2-1 in 7th.

The Yankees were “this” close to losing this game in the bottom of the 10th, as the White Sox moved their inherited runner to 3rd with 1 out in a 2-2 tie.

But David Bednar would not give in as Lenyn Sosa hit 2 balls that went “just” foul — one by an inch and one by a foot — before striking him out swinging on a curveball, and getting stud shortstop Colson Montgomery to line out to right — as Jose Caballero sprinted over to catch the ball.

That gave NY new life — and the Yankee bats took advantage — waking up in the top of the 11th for 3 runs — an RBI bloop single by Cody Bellinger, RBI double by Jazz Chisholm Jr., and RBI double by Anthony Volpe — for the 5-3 win in Chicago on a beautiful, summer, sweater-weather Saturday night.

Camilo Doval wrapped up and the Yanks had the win to move up a game in the standings on Toronto, Boston, and Seattle (for the wildcard) — who all lost.

Earlier, Cam Schlittler threw down another great start — 6 innings of 4-hit ball, allowing 1 run and striking out 8 with only 1 walk. But he was matched by Chicago’s young All Star Shane Smith — who allowed just an Aaron Judge solo HR in the 4th, and an Austin Wells solo HR in the 7th to put NY ahead 2-1.

Chicago tied it in the bottom of the 7th off Devin Williams.

“Smith was good for them; Schlittler was good for us; so 2 good starting pitchers going at it, both guys threw the ball really well,” said manager Aaron Boone afterwards. “So obviously runs were tough to come by. They tie it up, and we kept at it. Big job by Bednar in the 10th to allow us to string something together there in the 11th.”

NY improves to 76-60, and pull to within 2 games of Toronto, and move 2.5 ahead of Boston. The ChiSox fall to 48-88.

1. Schlittler Great Again

Cam Schlittler was great again — 6 innings of 4-hit, 1-run baseball, striking out 8 and walking 1 in 100 pitches.

The 24-year-old, 6’6 righthander worked around 2 singles in the 1st, getting out of the inning with a fly out and strike out, then pitched a 1-2-3 shutout 2nd. Cam allowed but a 2-out walk in the 3rd, and pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 4th.

The lone run he allowed came in the 5th, when he hit 3rd baseman Curtis Mead with a pitch leading off the inning, and then with 2 outs, former Yankee Mike Tauchman lined an RBI single to right to tie the game 1-1. But he struck out the next batter to end that inning, and cruised through the 6th — allowing but a 2-out infield single.

When the Yankees scored on an Austin Wells HR in the top of the 7th, Schlittler was in line to get the win. But Devin Williams blew the hold so Schlittler stays at 2-2 although his ERA drops to 2.61.

2. Smith Great Too

Meanwhile Schlittler was up against Chicago’s top young pitcher Shane Smith, who made the All Star game this year. The 23-year-old, 6’3 righthander came in with a 4-7 3.87 record pitching for the dreadful ChiSox.

Smith retired the first 7 Yankees of the game before Ryan McMahon doubled with 1 out in the 3rd. But Smith quickly got the next 2 outs and the Yanks were being shutout thru 3 in a pitchers’ duel.

Smith was throwing 98-MPH heat with a wicked curveball.

3. Judge HR Puts NY Up 1-0 in 4th

But with 1 out in the 4th, Aaron Judge broke it up with a 429-foot HR to center for a 1-0 Yankee lead.

4. Wells HR Puts NY Up 2-1 in 7th

Shane Smith pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 5th, and worked around a leadoff walk and 1-out error by stud 6’3 shortstop Colson Montgomery in the 6th — striking out Cody Bellinger and getting Jazz Chisholm to fly out with runners on 1st and 2nd.

But Austin Wells led off the top of the 7th with a 416-foot HR to right center off Smith and NY had a 2-1 lead.

5. Devin Blows Hold

Unfortunately Devin Williams — who has been pitching Great recently — couldn’t hold the lead — coughing up a leadoff double to Curtis Mead to start the bottom of the 7th, then a 1-out RBI single to center by Chase Meidroth for a 2-2 tie.

Devin struck out Mike Tauchman and got catcher Kyle Teel to fly out to end the inning but the damage was done.

6. Weaver Good

Luke Weaver pitched the 8th in a 2-2 tie — and held it right there — retiring the first 2 batters on a ground out and strike out, allowing a double to right by Andrew Benintendi — but getting a groundout for a shutout inning.

7. Bednar Saves & Wins Game

Lefty Brandon Eisert and righty Jordan Leasure shut down the Yanks in the top of the 8th and 9th so the game went to the bottom of the 9th tied 2-2.

David Bednar came in for NY, and got 2 fly outs to begin the 9th, then allowed a double to Chase Meidroth. With the tying run at 2nd — Bednar got Tauchman to ground out to end the game-winning threat.

Wells Out at Plate in Top of 1oth

In the top of the 10th, Anthony Volpe bunted the inherited runner Austin Wells to 3rd with 1 out — but Ryan McMahon hit a grounder to 2nd and Wells was thrown out at the plate.

Bednar Buckles Down — Sosa Comes “This Close” to Winning It

So it was to the bottom of the 10th, and Bednar still in with the Yanks’ backs to the wall. Especially after leadoff batter Kyle Teel grounded out to 2nd — moving the winning run to 3rd with 1 out.

That set up the dramatic Bednar-Lenyn Sosa confrontation — Bednar getting ahead 0-1, then Sosa hitting a fly down the line in deep right that was “just foul” by an inch.

Sosa then fouled one off behind him, then hit a 1-2 pitch for a chopper that went just foul by a foot down 3rd. Bednar then struck out Sosa swinging on a 1-2 curveball.

And then stud 6’3 shortstop Cordon Montgomery hit a liner to right that Jose Caballero ran to his left to catch to end the inning, stranding that winning run on 3rd!

8. Yank Bats Wake Up in 11th

Lefthander Tyler Alexander was in to pitch for the ChiSox in the top of the 11th.

Paul Goldschmidt led off by lining out to right, advancing the inherited runner Trent Grisham to 3rd with 1 out.

Alexander intentionally walked Aaron Judge — but Cody Bellinger hit a bloop single that dropped in to opposite field left and NY had a 3-2 lead.

Next batter Jazz Chisholm Jr. smoked an opposite-field double to left to give NY a HUGE insurance run — and 4-2 lead.

Austin Wells bunted to 1st to try and score the run from 3rd but Bellinger was a dead duck at home.

But with 2 outs, Anthony Volpe came up clutch again — with an RBI double to opposite-field right “just fair” inside the chalked line and NY had a 5-2 lead.

9. Doval with the Save

Camilo Doval came in for the bottom of the 11th — and got a groundout to Jazz at 2nd (which moved the inherited runner to 3rd), another groundout to Jazz at 2nd (which scored the inherited runner), and a strike out swinging of catcher Edgar Quero for the old ballgame!

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401696945

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