Bellinger, The Martian, & Volpe Ignite Yanks. NY 7 Toronto 5

July 30, 2025 paperbacklou 2025 0
Cody Bellinger 3-run HR in the 3rd brings the Yanks back from the gutter, tying game 3-3.

Down 3-0 in the 3rd with their Ace, Max Fried, on the mound — the Yanks came back from the gutter to win 7-5 on a Tuesday night in the Hot, Humid Bronx — game time starting temperature 90 degrees and ending temperature 86 degrees on a day that hit 96 in NYC.

Cody Bellinger lifted the Yanks from that gutter with a 3-run HR in the 3rd, and the Yanks got 3 more in the 4th ignited by singles and base-stealing by Jasson Dominguez and Anthony Volpe.

Volpe added a 485-foot solo HR in the 8th for an insurance run — a run that was much needed as Volpe then made an error on what should have been the final out of the game — throwing a sinker to 1st base on a routine grounder to shortstop.

That forced Devin Williams to get the final out a 2nd time, and he did — striking out Jonathan Aranda — who is 3rd in the American League in batting with a .315 average — with the tying run on 2nd. PHEW.

It was Volpe’s 2nd error of the game, and league-leading 15th — he had botched a double-play grounder in the 1st that led to the first 2 Tampa runs. But he made up for it with his offense, which was key to NY winning.

Meanwhile Max Fried persevered — throwing 111 pitches into the 7th and getting the win to go 12-4 2.62, and Jonathan Loaisiga had his back — getting the final out of the 7th and pitching a shutout 8th.

To top it off, Toronto lost both ends of a double header earlier in the day so the Yanks pull to within 4 games of the Blue Jays, and pull 1.5 ahead of Boston.

“We got to get through it,” said manager Aaron Boone afterwards about Volpe’s errors. “One thing’s for certain, he’s really, really good out there. He’s clearly had some struggles. A little indecisive with that last throw. It was a short hop. For a very talented defender he will get through it and we have to get him there.”

“He plays aggressively,” added Boone. “Going into this week, coming out of the Toronto series — he’s made a lot of good plays. But there’s been some plays where he’s felt it a little bit. Believe it or not a lot of us have been in those defensive slump places, and you have to get through it. Especially if you’re as capable and talented as he is out there. He’s going to grow from this, learn from it, and come out on the other side and we have to help get him there.”

NY is now 58-49; Tampa falls to 54-54.

1. Volpe Error Causes Fried to Fall Behind 3-0 Early

The game just started in the hot, humid heat when Max Fried allowed a leadoff single to Yandy Diaz, but then got Jonathan Aranda to hit double-play grounder toward 2nd — Anthony Volpe fielding it and flipping a bad toss to Jazz Chisholm Jr. for an error. Everyone safe.

Fried got the next 2 outs, but Jonny DeLuca tripled to right and it was 2-0 Tampa.

Fried got the final out of the inning to strand the runner on 3rd but damage done. And more damage in the top of the 3rd when Aranda ripped a 403-foot leadoff HR to right center for a 3-0 Tampa lead.

The Yanks were in the gutter.

2. Bellinger 3-Run HR Brings Yanks Back from Gutter

But in the bottom of the 3rd, Austin Wells worked a walk off 6’8 righty Joe Boyle to lead off. Trent Grisham struck out, but Ben Rice also worked a walk.

Austin Wells stole 3rd to get himself in sac fly scoring position — but Boyle the big 6’8 righty struck out Paul Goldschmidt.

With 2 outs, lefty Cody Bellinger pulled the Yanks out of the gutter by swacking a 383-foot HR to right. TIE GAME!

3. The Martian & Volpe Ignite 3-run 4th

Jasson Dominguez aka The Martian continues to quietly hit, hit, hit — and steal bases. He led off the 4th against Boyle with a single to center, then immediately stole 2nd against the 6’8 righty.

Ryan McMahon flied out but Anthony Volpe made up for his earlier error with a clutch single to center for a 4-3 Yankee lead.

Austin Wells then hit a liner to 2nd that was dropped and muffed by Jose Caballero — Wells getting on and Volpe safe at 2nd.

Mason Montgomery, a 6’2 lefty, relieved Boyle — and Volpe immediately took off — stealing 3rd, and scoring when the throw to 3rd went into left field. NY 5 Tampa 3.

Trent Grisham grounded out for the 2nd out, but Ben Rice worked another walk, and Paul Goldschmidt added on with a Clutch, 2-out RBI single to left. NY 6 Tampa 3.

4. Fried Perseveres

Meanwhile Max Fried persevered — in fact, got on a roll — retiring 14 batters in a row after the Aranda HR, pitching a 1-2-3 inning in the 4th, 5th, and 6th.

5. Loaisiga Has Fried’s Back

Fried got the first 2 outs of the 7th, then walked Fortes and allowed an RBI double to Taylor Walls. At 111 pitches, Fried was fried and was relieved by Jonathan Loaisiga in a 6-4 game, with a runner on 2nd.

Loaisiga needed 2 pitches to get Yandy Diaz to ground out to 1st to end the inning.

Loaisiga then got in and out of trouble in the 8th — allowing leadoff singles to Aranda and Junior Caminero, but getting Christopher Morel to hit into a doubleplay — Volpe-to-Chisholm-to-Goldschmidt.

Loaisiga then got the super speedy Chandler Simpson to foul out to Ryan McMahon in foul territory, stranding the runner at 3rd. PHEW. Still NY 6 Tampa 4.

6. Volpe Insurance HR in 8th

And then Anthony Volpe was at it again on offense — ripping a 452-foot BLAST to right center off 6’3 righthander Kevin Kelly with 2 outs in the 8th for a HUGE insurance run, and 7-4 Yankee lead.

7. Devin has Volpe’s Back for the Save

Devin Williams came in for the save — and immediately got in trouble, allowing a leadoff triple to Josh Lowe, then walking Caballero.

With 1st and 3rd, nobody out, Devin bore down — getting a fielder’s choice groundout to McMahon at 3rd that scored a run, the runner out at 2nd — then getting another fielder’s choice groundout to McMahon at 3rd that did the same thing — runner out at 2nd.

With 2 outs, and a runner at 1st — Devin got Yandy Diaz to groundout to Volpe at shortstop for the final out of the game — but Volpe double hitched and threw a sinker to 1st that Goldschmidt couldn’t handle. Error Volpe. Game still on. NY 7 Tampa 5, runners on 1st and 3rd.

You can imagine Yankee Twitter/X.

Jake Mangum came in to run for Yandy Diaz, and immediately stole 2nd so the tying run was in scoring position with 2 outs as Devin Williams pitched to Jonathan Aranda — 3rd in the AL in batting with a .315 average.

Devin threw 2 four-seam fastballs that crackled in at 95 MPH for strikes, then missed badly with a changeup, but came back with a 95-MPH fastball that Aranda swung and missed at for the old ballgame!

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401696517

 

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