Fulmer Coughs Up Walk-Off HR in 9th. Arizona 5 NY 3

September 20, 2026 paperbacklou 2026 0
Austin Wells with a HR in the 6th to put NY up 3-2.

Michael Fulmer coughed up a walk-off, 2-run HR to Pavin Smith in the bottom of the 9th to give Arizona a 5-3 win over the Yankees on a Saturday night in Arizona.

Cam Schlittler started for the Yankees and pitched great but made an error in the 5th inning that opened the door for a a 2-out, 2-RBI triple that put Arizona ahead 2-1.

Heliot Ramos and Austin Wells hit HR’s in the 6th to give Cam back a 3-2 lead.

But Cam then walked the first 2 batters of the 6th, and then a bunt misplayed by Ryan McMahon for a single loaded the bases with nobody out — before Cam got out of it with a sac fly and 2 strikeouts. That put the game at 3-3 and the Yanks couldn’t get any more runs.

Austin Wells ended up 2 for 3 with the HR and a walk. He has been hitting well since coming off the IL due to migrane headaches and is at 13-31-.185. (.284 OBP).

“I thought overall he threw the ball great,” said manager Aaron Boone about Schlittler. “Those 2 hitters — 8 balls in a row; we didn’t handle the bunt. But finished off the bases loaded nobody-out situation; to only give up 1 run and the tie and get us through the 6th — good job there.”

NY drops to 89-65 and are now 5 back of Tampa and 5.5 ahead of Boston. Arizona improves to 81-74, and are 4 back of a Wild Card.

1. Yanks Get a Run Off Pfaadt On Sac Fly in 5th

Arizona started 27-year-old, 6’4 righthander Brandon Pfaadt, who is in his 4th year in the Diamondback starting rotation. He established himself with an 11-10 4.71 year in 2024, then went 13-9 5.25 last year and is 7-3 3.72 this year.

Pfaadt throws a 94-MPH four-seam fastball and lots of 91-MPH cutters to go along with an 88-MPH changeup and 83-MPH curveball.

Pfaadt got lots of fly outs and line outs in pitching a 1-2-3 inning in the 1st and 2nd. The Yanks peppered him with a 1-out walk (by Ryan McMahon) and single (by Jose Caballero) in the 3rd — but Pfaadt got the last 2 outs of the inning, then got 3 straight outs in the 4th.

NY finally got to him in the 5th — a leadoff single by Austin Wells, single by next batter Anthony Volpe, bunt by McMahon that had Wells thrown out at 3rd, and single by Jose Caballero loaded the bases with 1 out.

Ben Rice then hit a fly to deep left for a sac fly and 1-0 Yankee lead.

Pfaadt got Cody Bellinger to fly out to left to end the inning and end his start — 5 innings, 1 run.

2. Schlittler Terrific — Done in by His Own Error in 5th

Cam Schlittler meanwhile was lights-out, with a no-hitter through 4 innings. Arizona’s lone baserunner was Corbin Carroll who walked with 1 out in the 2nd — but Schlittler retired everyone else, throwing his 100-MPH HEAT.

But in the bottom of the 5th, after Schlittler struck out Carroll leading off, Nolan Arenado broke up the no-hitter with a single to left.

1st baseman Tim Tawa bunted back to Schlittler — and Schlittler bobbled the ball while taking it out of his glove then dropped it for an error.

Schlittler got DH Jesus Sanchez to ground out — but with 2 outs, centerfielder Jordan Lawler tripled to center for 2 runs and a 2-1 Arizona lead.

3. Ramos & Wells HR’s in 6th Put NY Up 3-2

The Yanks came right back against 6’4 righty reliever Kevin Ginkel in the top of the 6th: Heliot Ramos hit a 373-foot drive to right for a 2-2 tie.

A batter later, Austin Wells jacked one HIGH and DEEP to right for a 393-foot HR and 3-2 Yankee lead.

4. Arizona Ties It 3-3 on 2 Walks, a Bunt & Sac Fly

But Schlittler started the bottom of the 6th with 8 straight balls — walking 2nd baseman Ketel Marte and catcher Gabriel Moreno. Shortstop Geraldo Perdomo then laid down a bunt that Ryan McMahon fielded by the mound — but muffed getting out of his glove and threw weakly to 1st for a bunt single.

With bases loaded, nobody out, Schlittler got tough — allowing a sac fly to Corbin Carroll to tie the game 3-3, then striking out Nolan Arenado and 1st baseman Tim Tawa to end the inning.

5. Headrick & Blackburn Hold Fort

Brent Headrick came in for the 7th, and allowed a leadoff single before getting 2 outs and handing the baton to Paul Blackburn, who got the final out of the inning in a 3-3 tie.

Blackburn then pitched a shutout 8th, scattering a 1-out single and 2-out single.

6. Garcia & Morillo Shut Down Yanks at End

Arizona brought in 26-year-old, 6’4 lefty Brandyn Garcia and he pitched a shutout 7th and 8th — allowing a 1-out walk to Caballero in the 7th but getting a doubleplay to end the inning, then pitching a 1-2-3 inning in the 8th.

And 27-year-old, 6’1 righty Ace reliever Juan Morillo came in for the top of the 9th throwing 100-MPH HEAT. Austin Wells worked a 1-out walk off him, but he struck out Volpe and got Amed Rosario to ground out to send the game to the bottom of the 9th, tied 3-3.

7. Smith Walks It Off with 2-run HR Off Fulmer in 9th

NY brought out Michael Fulmer to pitch the bottom of the 9th. Fulmer has been pitching well — but allowed a leadoff walk to Ildemaro Vargas, and 1-out, 391-foot no-doubter HR to right by Pavin Smith for the old ballgame.

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401817010

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