Grisham Bomb, McMahon RBI’s & Bednar Nail Biter. NY 8 Houston 4

September 5, 2025 paperbacklou 2025 0
Trent Grisham 3-run bomb in 8th seemingly puts game away -- and was eventual game winner.

Ryan McMahon got 3 hits, including a CLUTCH, 2-out RBI single in the 8th to give the Yanks a HUGE insurance run and 5-3 lead — and next batter Trent Grisham seemingly put the game away with a dramatic 3-run BOMB for an 8-3 lead — but the game still came down to a nail-biter as David Bednar struck out Carlos Correa and Christian Walker with the bases loaded and 1 out to end the game — leaving the tying run at the plate.

Final score Yankees 8 Astros 4 on a Thursday night in Houston.

An exhilarating Yankee win.

Carlos Rodon pitched great — 6 innings of 3-hit ball — and left with a 4-2 lead. The umpire that cost the Yankees the game the night before — Brian Walsh — was positioned on 3rd base and cost the Yankees another run! This time he called a line drive caught by Ryan McMahon on 3rd a dropped ball — after McMahon dropped it pulling it out of his glove to throw it for a double-play chance.

Luke Weaver got hit in the 7th for the 2nd night in a row — this time coughing up a HR and a couple of singles — bailed out by Fernando Cruz and his NASTY splitter.

The Yanks hung on to the lead by their fingernails all night — and Rodon got the win to go 16-7 3.12. He leads American League in wins.

“Couple of big punch outs there to finish against some really good hitters,” said manager Aaron Boone about Bednar’s performance.

NY takes 2 of 3 in the series and improves to 78-62 and pulls within 3 of idle Toronto and .5 ahead of idle Boston. Houston drops to 77-64, 3.5 ahead of idle Seattle.

1. McMahon RBI Single Puts NY Up 1-0 in 2nd

Houston started Christian Javier — their ace of a few years ago who missed most of 2024 with Tommy John surgery. The 28-year-old righthander was making his 5th start of the season, having returned on August 11.

The Yanks got a run off him after 2 were out in the 2nd — a walk by Austin Wells, single by Anthony Volpe, and single to right by Ryan McMahon for a 1-0 Yankee lead.

2. McMahon Bomb & Yank Singles Put NY Up 4-1 in 5th

Christian Javier then pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 3rd and 4th, striking out 3 and looking like the very tough Javier of a few years ago.

But with 1 out in the 5th, Ryan McMahon got him again with a 410-foot HR to center for a 2-1 Yankee lead.

Next batter Trent Grisham singled to center, Ben Rice singled to center, and Aaron Judge walked to load the bases with 1 out.

Cody Bellinger singled to right and it was 3-1 NY.

That was it for Christian Javier — relieved by former Yank Emil De Los Santos — who struck out Giancarlo Stanton for the 2nd out.

But De Los Santos walked Jesus Caballero on a pitch-clock violation with a 3-2 count — NY 4 Houston 1 — before getting Austin Wells to pop out to end the inning.

3. Rodon Great

Meanwhile Carlos Rodon was Great. Again. As he has consistently been all season.

His 96-MPH four-seam fastball was Crackling, his 81-MPH curveball was CURVING, his 87-MPH slider was SLIDING, and his 85-MPH changeup was changing things up.

Ben Rice with a Rough Day at 1st

Rodon pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 1st, then picked up his teammate Ben Rice in the 2nd after Rice didn’t catch a throw to 1st that was easily catchable on a fine throw by McMahon from 3rd. Instead of 2 outs and runner on 3rd — it was 1st and 3rd, 1 out. Rodon however got popout and groundout to end the threat.

Wells Helps Rodon in 4th — Jazz Injured

Rodon allowed a solo HR with 2 outs in the 3rd to Yordan Alvarez — but doesn’t everybody. Next batter Jose Altuve walked — but was thrown out by Austin Wells trying to steal 2nd. Jazz Chisholm was injured on the play — and after taking an at bat in the next inning, was replaced in the game by Jose Caballero.

Ump Brian  Walsh Screws Yanks Again in 6th

Yordon Alvarez led off the 6th with a double — but Rodon got Jose Altuve to hit a liner to 3rd that was caught by Ryan McMahon — however when McMahon took the ball out of his glove to throw to 2nd to possibly catch Alvarez — the ball slipped out of his fingers and fell to the ground.

Wouldn’t you know it the Home Plate ump who cost the Yankees the game the night before — Brian Walsh — was the 3rd base ump in this game — and he ruled it a no catch !!!!!

The Yanks could not challenge the call — and so play continued with runners on 1st and 2nd and nobody out.

Rice Drops Ball Again at 1st

Carlos Correa then hit a double-play grounder to 2nd that Jose Caballero made the play on, getting the out at 2nd and throwing to 1st — but Ben Rice dropped the throw again — and a run scored for a 4-2 game. The error was somehow charged to Caballero.

But again picked up Rice — striking out Christian Walker and getting Yandy Diaz to flly out to Deep left center to end the inning.

4. Weaver Hit Again in 7th, Saved by Fernando

Luke Weaver came in for the 7th in a 4-2 game and for the 2nd night in a row, got hit.

Pinch hitter Jesus Sanchez hit a leadoff HR to left for a 4-3 game — his 13th HR of the year.

Weaver struck out the next 2 batters — but then allowed singles to Pena and Alvarez to put runners on 1st and 2nd with 2 outs.

In came Fernando Cruz, who struck out Jose Altuve — coming back from a 3-1 count to get him swinging with his NASTY splitter — keeping the game at 4-3 Yanks.

5. McMahon CLUTCH Hit & Grisham Slam Give NY 8-3 Lead

The Yanks were hanging onto the 4-3 lead by their fingernails when Giancarlo Stanton led off the top of the 8th with a walk against 33-year-old, 6’4 righty Kaleb Ort. Jasson Dominguez ran for Big G.

Austin Wells worked a 1-out walk to put runners on 1st and 2nd, but Anthony Volpe struck out for the 2nd out.

That’s when Ryan McMahon got his 3rd hit of the night — a CLUTCH infield hit and RBI single for a 5-3 Yankee lead. HUGE insurance run.

And then Trent Grisham — the Big Sleep — seemingly turned out the lights with a bomb to right. NY 8 Houston 3.

6. Fernando Stifles Astros

Fernando Cruz also pitched the bottom of the 8th — with the Yanks up 8-3 by that time — and struck out 2 more in pitching a shutout inning.

7. Bednar Nail Biter

The Yanks took their 8-3 lead to the 9th — but David Bednar allowed a leadoff single to pinch hitter Victor Caratini. and a double to left by pinch-hitter Taylor Trammell.

Trammell’s Bat Thrown Out — Trammell Stays In

The Yanks then had Trammell’s bat checked — and after a LONG delay — it was ruled illegal — similar to the George Brett pine-tar incident in 1983.

The bat was removed from the game but somehow Trammell was allowed to keep his double.

After the long delay — Jeremy Pena lined out to Volpe at shortstop, but Yordan Alvarez singled in a run and it was 8-4.

Bednar then walked Jose Altuve on a 3-2 pitch and bases were loaded — the tying run coming to the plate. You can imagine what Yankee Twitter (x) was like.

But Bednar got tough — striking out Carlos Correa swinging on a 3-2 four-seam fastball, and Christian Walker swinging on a 1-2 curveball for the old ballgame.

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401697012

 

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