Bednar Saves Yanks & Himself; Backs Bellinger & Jazz HR’s. NY 7 Toronto 6

May 19, 2026 paperbacklou 2026 0

David Bednar was on the precipice of blowing his 2nd straight save in the 9th, when he reared back and saved himself and the Yankees — striking out George Springer and getting Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to ground out to end the game with runners on 1st and 2nd — giving NY a 7-6 win over Toronto on a hot Monday night at Yankee Stadium.

Bednar went into the 9th with a 7-5 lead but it was “here we go again” for the 2nd straight game as he allowed a leadoff walk then an RBI double, and after getting a strikeout walked another batter to put runners on 1st and 2nd with only 1 out — and went 3-0 to Yankee killer George Springer.

But Bednar hung tough — throwing 3 straight splitters that cut low and out of the strike zone and Springer swung and missed at all 3. He then went 3-2 on the mighty Vlad before getting him to ground out to 2nd for a big PHEW.

The Yanks had come back from a 5-3 deficit to tie the game in the bottom of the 7th on a 2-run HR by Cody Bellinger, then took a 7-5 lead on a 2-run HR by Jazz Chisholm Jr. that hit the foul pole down the opposite left-field line later in the inning.

“It’s honestly just ultimate confidence in all 3 of my pitches,” said David Bednar afterwards about throwing 3 straight splitters to Springer. “Anytime; any count. I don’t want to do that and put myself in tough situations, but I have ultimate confidence in myself to get the job done.”

NY improves to 29-19 but remain 3 games back of 1st place Tampa. Toronto falls to 21-26.

1. Goldy HR Puts Yanks Up 1-0 in 1st

The Blue Jays started Patrick Corbin, the 36-year-old 6’4 lefty in his first year with Toronto after going 7-11 4.40 for Texas last year. Once upon a time Yankee fans wanted NY to sign Corbin as a top-of-the-line free agent — back in 2019, when he signed with Washington instead — and 6 years there. He had a great first season (14-7 3.25) but was quite terrible after that — pitching to ERA’s over 5 and 6 and once leading the league in losses with a 6-19 record. The Yanks instead signed James Paxton to a 2-yr contract — which worked out much better, Paxton going 15-6 3.82 in his first year for NY, before going down with injury in year 2. The Yanks then used the money to sign Gerrit Cole to a long-term contract starting in 2020.

So here after that long road was Patrick Corbin on the mound and Paul Goldschmidt — who hits lefties really well — hit the first pitch of the bottom of the 1st into the seats in right center for a 1-0 Yankee lead.

2.  Weathers Baffled by Clement 3-Run HR in 4th

Ryan Weathers meanwhile, was CRUISING — allowing a single to George Springer leading off the game but then retiring 9 in a row, including striking out the side in the 2nd.

Weathers allowed singles to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Kazuma Okamoto leading off the 4th, but got a fly out and a foul out and appeared to be out of the inning when Ernie Clement golfed an 0-2 changeup just over the wall in left for a 3-run HR and 3-1 Toronto lead.

Weathers was perplexed that the ball left the park.

3. Volpe Slide & Goldy RBI Double Ties It 3-3 in 4th

The Yanks continued to pepper Patrick Corbin — loading the bases with 2 outs in the 2nd but failing to break through (Ben Rice grounded out), and getting a baserunner in the 3rd (Cody Bellinger single but thrown out trying for 2).

Volpe Doubles, Steals 3rd, Scores on Great Slide

With 1 out in the 4th, Anthony Volpe hit a liner to left that was initially called a catch by a diving Davis Schneider, but on Yankee challenge ruled a double as Schneider dropped the ball on impact with the ground; it was Volpe’s 2nd hit of the game.

Volpe then stole 3rd while Corbin walked Max Schuemann, and J.C. Escarra hit a sac fly to right, scoring Volpe who just beat the throw home with a head’s up slide and 3-2 game.

Schuemann then stole 2nd and went to 3rd on a bad throw by the catcher — then scored on a double by Goldschmidt for a 3-3 game.

4. Toronto Goes Up 5-3 on Springer HR & Some Singles

But Weathers gave the lead right back in the top of the 5th on a homer to center by Gary Springer. Toronto 4 NY 3.

Weathers allowed consecutive 1-out singles in the 6th and was relieved by Paul Blackburn, who allowed a fielder’s choice RBI groundout for a 5-3 Toronto lead.

5. Bellinger & Jazz 2-Run Bombs Put Yanks up 7-5 in 7th

It wasn’t looking good for the Yanks as lefty reliever A Macko got the first 2 outs of the 7th — but Toronto went to the pen for righty Y Rodriguez to pitch to Aaron Judge — and it backfired. Judge singled and lefty Cody Bellinger hit a 402-foot HR to center for a 5-5 tie.

Lefty Trent Grisham then worked a walk off the righty Rodriguez, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. lofted a drive to opposite field left that hit the foul pole for a 2-run HR and 7-5 Yankee lead.

6. Cruz Fantastic

Fernando Cruz walked Vladimir Guerrero Jr. leading off the 8th but then struck out the next 3 batters with his Nasty splitter.

7. Bednar Saves Himself & Yanks

And so it was to the 9th with the Yanks holding a 7-5 lead and in came David Bednar who had blown a 6-3 lead in the 9th the night before.

And Bednar started off by walking Ernie Clement, and allowing an RBI double to Jesus Sanchez down the right-field line.

Tying run on 2nd — nobody out.

Bednar struck out Brandon Valenzuela swinging — a huge out — but then walked Yohendrick Pinango to put runners on 1st and 2nd in a 7-6 game with 1 out.

And then he went 3-0 on George Springer.

But Bednar came back with 3 straight splitters that broke low out of the zone that Springer swung and missed at.

Bednar then went 3-2 to Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who hit a 90-MPH splitter to Jazz behind 2nd for an easy groundout and the old ballgame.

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401815395

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