Only as Good as Your Weakest Devin Williams. Houston 5 NY 3 in 10

August 9, 2025 paperbacklou 2025 0
Aaron Judge RBI single in 6th ties game 2-2.

You’re only as good as your weakest…

Devin Williams.

Who blew another one — coming in for the top of the 10th in a 2-2 tie with the inherited runner on 2nd, and throwing a wild pitch, allowing an RBI single, and then coughing up a 2-run HR to Taylor Trammell as NY fell to Houston 5-3 on a beautiful, low-humidity, 80-degree Friday night in the Bronx.

The 5-2 deficit Devin put the Yankees in was too much to come back from. NY plated its inherited runner in the bottom of the 10th on an RBI single by Anthony Volpe, and then threatened by putting the tying run on base with a walk to Giancarlo Stanton, but Trent Grisham lined out to end it.

The Yanks had fought back from a 2-0 deficit and being 1-hit through 5 innings by Hunter Brown — knocking Brown out in the 6th with an Austin Wells double and RBI singles by Ben Rice and Aaron Judge.

Cam Schlittler pitched 5 good innings, and the Yankee bullpen of Yerry De los Santos, Camilo Doval, and Luke Weaver threw shutout ball.

A good night of Yankee baseball — except for their weakest link.

I’m not making pitches. It’s simple — I stink right now,” said Devin Williams afterwards. “They give me the ball; I try to do my best. I don’t know.”

“I hung my changeup,” continued Devin. “I thought I made some solid pitches. (Carlos) Correa did a good piece of hitting on his hit; I was ok with that pitch. The one to Trammell was terrible.”

“We’re kind of short down there at that point,” said manager Aaron Boone afterwards about why he pitched Devin. “We got 5 innings out of the starter; staying away from (David) Bednar and (Mark) Leiter today, so you’re down to the lefties and there is that middle right lane there for Devin. Didn’t work out tonite.”

NY falls to 61-55 and is 6.5 behind Toronto and 3 behind Boston. Houston improves to 65-51, leading the AL West.

1. Schlittler Pitched Good

Cam Schlittler did not start off well — many Yankee fans were still getting into the ballpark in the top of the 1st when he allowed a 1-out single to Jesus Sanchez and hung a sweeper over the plate to Jose Altuve for a 2-run HR and 2-0 Houston lead.

Then came a single to Carlos Correa — who recently rejoined Houston on trade-deadline deal.

But Schlittler settled down — striking out the last 2 batters of the inning, and then pitching a 1-2-3 inning in the 2nd.

Schlittler pitched a shutout 3rd, working around a leadoff hit-by-pitch and 2-out walk. Then in the 4th, Cam got some help from his friends — allowing 3 straight 1-out singles — to Trammell, Mauricio Dubon, and Cam Smith — but Cody Bellinger Nailing Trammell at the plate for out #2.

Schlittler then got a groundout to end the 4th, and pitched a shutout 5th — working around a 1-out double by Jose Altuve.

Cam’s line: 5 IP, 7 hits, 2 runs, 3 K’s, 1 walk on 97 pitches. He pitched good but afterwards talked like he pitched badly.

“Obviously it’s a grind, overall kind of subpar. Continue to make the same mistake over and over. One or two a game that can impact the outcome. Something I’m trying to work on and get better at. To be able to get 4 after that; the goal is to put the team in a position to win. I was glad I was able to do that.”

2. Hunter was Lights Out through 5

Meanwhile Hunter Brown was lights out. He came into the game with a 9-5 2.47 slash line and the Yanks got to see why his numbers are that good.

He was throwing 98-MPH heat on his sinker and four-seamer, and a 93-MPH knuckle curve, with an 89-MPH changeup thrown in for good measure.

It was a battle of two hard-ballers — as Cam Schlittler was throwing 99-MPH heat too.

Brown allowed a 1-out double to Ben Rice in the 1st, but then retired 14 in a row, striking out the side in the 2nd.

3. Yanks Get to Hunter in 6th

Down 2-0, NY finally got to Brown in the bottom of the 6th — a leadoff walk to Ryan McMahon and double to right by Austin Wells put runners on 2nd and 3rd with nobody out.

Trent Grisham flied out to shallow left — but Ben Rice came up with another hit off Brown — this one a single to right for a 2-1 game.

Then Aron Judge ripped a 96-MPH sinker to center for a 2-2 tie, sending Brown to the showers.

4. De Los Santos Good

Yerry De los Santos relieved Cam Schlittler and allowed a leadoff single to catcher Yanier Diaz, who went to 2nd with nobody out on a passed ball by Austin Wells.

But De los Santos got pop out, ground out, ground out to get out of the inning unscathed.

De los Santos got the first 2 outs of the 7th in the 2-2 game, helped by Anthony Volpe on a nice play at shortstop to get the speedy Jeremy Pena.

But De los Santos walked Jose Altuve and was relieved by Camilo Doval.

5. Doval Good

Altuve immediately stole 2nd off Doval, to be in scoring position in the 2-2 game. Doval walked Carlos Correa but got out of the inning by striking out Christian Walker on 3 pitches — two 88-MPH sliders sandwiching a 98-MPH cutter.

Doval then got 3 straight groundouts for a shutout 8th.

6. Weaver Good

And Luke Weaver looked good in pitching a shutout 8th, allowing a 2-out walk but getting a fly out of Altuve to end the inning.

7. Devin Fucks Up Again

Meanwhile lefty Bennett Sousa and righty Bryan Abreau shut the Yanks out in the 7th thru 9th so we went to the 10th in a 2-2 tie.

With inherited runner Jose Altuve on 2nd, and righties Carlos Correa, Christian Walker, and Yainer Diaz due up — Boone went to the righty Devin Williams.

Devin immediately threw a wild pitch to put Altuve on 3rd, but then went 1-2 on Correa before allowing a single to center on a changeup for a 3-2 Houston lead.

Williams got Christian Walker on a fielder’s choice to 2nd, and then allowed a shot to right by Yainer Diaz that Amed Rosario almost caught — but dropped as he hit the wall. Trent Grisham picked the ball up and threw it in for a force out at 2nd! A tremendous bit of luck by the Yankees.

But Williams then hung an 0-1 changeup to Taylor Trammell for a HR to right center and it was 5-2 Houston.

8. Yank Rally in 10th Falls Short

Josh Hader pitched the 10th for Houston with inherited runner Jazz Chisholm at 2nd.

Hader got Amed Rosario to line out to start the inning, but Anthony Volpe singled to left for a 5-3 game, bringing the tying run to the plate.

The Yanks pinch hit Paul Goldschmidt to face the lefty Hader — but Goldy flied out to right in a 10-pitch at bat.

Giancarlo Stanton then pinch hit for Austin Wells — and worked a 3-2 walk.

With the tying run on, and the winning run at the plate — Trent Grisham lined out to center on a 2-2 sinker for the old ballgame.

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401696640

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