For the second game in a row, the Yankees vaulted into the lead in the 8th inning to beat the Nationals — this time Ben Rice hit a 2-run triple to turn a 3-2 deficit into a 4-2 Yankee lead en route to a 5-3 win in Washington on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.
Jose Caballero added a sac fly for an insurance run in the top of the 9th, and Paul Blackburn pitched a perfect 8th and 9th inning to get the win.
Will Warren started and pitched well — 5 IP, 4 hits, 1 run — and left with a 2-1 lead, courtesy RBI singles in the 5th by Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Austin Wells. But Tim Hill allowed a HR to tie the game in the 6th, and a Jazz Chisholm throwing error led to an unearned run in the 7th that put NY down 3-2.
Things were looking bad with 2 outs in the 8th when Max Schuemann singled and Trent Grisham walked to set up the Rice 2-RBI triple. The Yankee insurance run in the 9th came courtesy a leadoff single by Cody Bellinger and double by Jazz Chisholm.
“A good job by the pitching staff of holding a really good offense enough in check and giving us a chance to win each game,” said manager Aaron Boone afterwards. “And the guys just did really good things late in games.”
“I thought he pitched really, really well to give us 5 strong against a tough, lefty-laden lineup,” said Boone about Warren.
NY sweeps the 3-game set with Washington, and improves to 54-42 — pulling to 3 games back of Tampa as the All Star break hits. Washington falls to 48-49, 8 games back of Atlanta in the NL East.
1. Warren Pitched Well
Will Warren allowed a leadoff HR to James Wood to start the game, then walked Luis Garcia Jr. He was at 16 pitches already and the bullpen had been used extensively the prior 2 games so things weren’t looking great.
But Warren got a double play and was out of the inning just like that.
Warren pitched a shutout 2nd and 3rd — helped by a doubleplay in the 3rd — but ran into trouble again in the 4th, allowing a leadoff double to Abimelec Ortiz and a single to CJ Abrams to put runners on 1st and 3rd with nobody out, NY down 1-0.
But Warren wiggled out of it — striking out Abimelec Cruz and got Daylen Lile to line into a doubleplay at 1st.
Warren was given a 2-1 lead in the top of the 5th, but got into trouble again in the bottom of the 5th — allowing a leadoff double to Jose Tena.
But again he wiggled out of it — getting a lineout to 2nd, a lineout to centerfield, and striking out James Wood.
Will Warren strikes out James Wood for just his second strikeout of the day and strands the leadoff double pic.twitter.com/OGpCnPdnY9
— Talkin’ Yanks (@TalkinYanks) July 12, 2026
2. Jazz & Wells Put Yanks Up 2-1 in 5th
Cade Cavalli started for the Nats and he pitched well — 6 IP 4 hits, 2 runs. The 6’4 righthander came in with a 5-4 3.88 record and leaves with a 5-4 3.83 record.
He pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 1st, 3rd and 4th — and got a doubleplay in the 2nd to pitch around a single and a walk.
But the Yanks got to him in the top of the 5th — Cody Bellinger led off with a double to left, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. singled him home for a 1-1 game.
Jazz ties it up ? pic.twitter.com/ON7QXfQjaZ
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 12, 2026
Cavalli got a popout and a strikeout — but with 2 outs, Chisholm grabbed 2nd base on a pitch in the dirt by Cavalli and then Austin Wells ripped a clutch single to right for a 2-1 Yankee lead.
A Birthday Gift from Wells ? pic.twitter.com/T33ngFWUss
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 12, 2026
3. Hill Allows HR in 6th to Tie It
Tim Hill pitched the 6th, and allowed a 1-out HR to Curtis Mead for a 2-2 tie.
4. Chisholm Error Allows Nats to Take 3-2 Lead in 7th
Angel Chivilli pitched the 7th — and he allowed a 1-out single but then struck out Jorbit Vivas, and got a grounder to 2nd that should have been the final out — but Jazz threw it over Ben Rice’s head for a Washington run and 3-2 lead.
Jazz Chisholm overthrows Ben Rice on what would’ve ended the inning. Instead the Nationals take the lead pic.twitter.com/8TJgaEDSHr
— Talkin’ Yanks (@TalkinYanks) July 12, 2026
5. Rice 2-Run Triple Vaults Yanks in 8th
27-year-old, 6’3 lefty Andrew Alvaraz pitched the 8th, and he got the first 2 outs — striking out Amed Rosario with 3 straight 85-MPH curveballs.
But Max Schuemann hit a first-pitch slider for a single, then stole 2nd base.
Trent Grisham then worked a 1-2 count into a walk — holding off swinging at a curveball and a couple of sliders. That brought up Ben Rice, who ripped a shot to opposite-field left — just over centerfielder Dylan Crews‘ glove for a 2-RBI triple and 4-3 Yankee lead!
Caution: The Rice is HOT ? pic.twitter.com/f3x5dNz1nS
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 12, 2026
6. Bellinger & Chisholm & Caballero Get Insurance Run in 9th
Cody Bellinger and Jazz Chisholm Jr. went to work again in the 9th — just as they had done in the 5th inning with consecutive hits to lead off the inning.
This time Cody Bellinger led off with a single, and Jazz doubled him to 3rd against Alvaraz who had stayed in.
6’3 righthander Justin Lawrence relieved Alvaraz, and Jose Caballero hit a 95-MPH sinker for a sac fly to shallow right and 5-3 Yankee lead.
Jose Caballero brings home Bellinger on a sac fly for some insurance! pic.twitter.com/oioGPCnRee
— Talkin’ Yanks (@TalkinYanks) July 12, 2026
7. Blackburn Terrific
Paul Blackburn pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 8th, and stayed in for the 9th — pitching another 1-2-3 inning — fly out, groundout, fly out — for the old ballgame.
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