A Win Is a Win. NY 10 Minnesota 9

September 17, 2025 paperbacklou 2025 0
Trent Grisham HR in 2nd made it 5-1 NY.

The Yankee offense exploded against Minnesota starter Zebby Matthews for a 10-1 lead by the 4th inning, but Cam Schlittler — who was cruising — couldn’t get the 3rd out of the 5th inning, and Ryan Yarbrough didn’t have it — as Minnesota marched back in the game.

It took tremendous relief work from Mark Leiter Jr. and Devin Williams, and a save by David Bednar in the 9th — after allowing a solo HR to make a 10-8 game into a 10-9 game — for the Yanks to pull out the 10-9 nail-biter win on a Tuesday night in Minnesota.

NY jumped on top 2-0 in the top of the 1st; Schlitter gave a run right back in the bottom of the 1st with a couple of walks and an RBI single but cruised after that — retiring 11 in a row while the Yankees built the 10-1 lead. But Schlittler allowed a HR to James Outman in the 5th, making it a 10-3 game — and lost the zone.

“Command was a little bit shaky early on,” said Schlittler afterwards. “I was able to get out of it in the 1st; kind of  got into a little bit of a rhythm after that. But let up the HR there, and tried to get too picky when you’re up 8 runs. It’s embarrassing but you have to get in the zone especially with that lead.”

NY improves to 84-67, still 5 back of Toronto which won again, but 2.5 over Boston which lost. Minnesota drops to 66-85.

1. Hit Parade, Led by Volpe, Wells, & Grisham

After getting shutout 7-0 the night before, the Yankee offense came out looking to make amends and did so against Zebby Matthews.

Trent Grisham led off the game with a single, Aaron Judge singled behind him, Ben Rice flied out, but Cody Bellinger ripped a 1-out RBI single to center for a 1-0 Yankee lead.

Giancarlo Stanton followed with a sac fly to make it 2-0 Yanks.

Schlittler gave a run back in the bottom of the 1st, but the Yanks went right back at it in the top of the 2nd — a 1-out Double by Anthony Volpe — back in the lineup after a few days off with the injured shoulder. His buddy Austin Wells followed with a double off the wall in center — just missing a HR as the ball hit the top of the fence — and it was 3-1 Yankees.

And then Trent Grisham — in a slump the last 2 weeks — ripped a 391-foot HR to right and it was 5-1 NY.

NY kept coming — Aaron Judge with a walk, Ben Rice with a single, and after a Cody Bellinger fly out, Giancarlo Stanton with a single to opposite field right for a 6-1 NY lead.

It was more of the same in the top of the 3rd — single by Ryan McMahon to leadoff against Zebby, who was still in — then a walk by Anthony Volpe and single to left by Austin Wells to load the bases.

Trent Grisham hit a sac fly to make it 7-1, Aaron Judge hit a sac fly to make it 8-1, and Ben Rice doubled in a run to make it 9-1.

2. Volpe’s 2nd Hit Makes It 10-1 in 4th

Zebby was gone after 3 — replaced by Cody Laweryson for the top of the 4th — who was greeted by a 1-out single by Jazz Chisholm Jr., who went to 2nd on a groundout by McMahon — and then an RBI single to right by Volpe — his second hit of the night. NY 10 Minnesota 1. Blowout.

3. Schlittler — Cruising — Can’t Get Out of 5th

Meanwhile Cam Schlittler — after walking 2 batters and allowing an RBI single to Royce Lewis in the 1st — was cruising — retiring 11 in a row — pitching a 1-2-3 inning in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th.

But in the 5th, after getting the 1st out, he allowed a single to shortstop Ryan Fitzgerald and a 2-run HR to Outman for a 10-3 game.

He then lost the zone — trying to be too picky in his words — walking Byron Buxton, striking out 2nd baseman Austin Martin for the 2nd out, but walking Trevor Larnach, throwing a wild pitch to score a run, and walking Clemens — and he was yanked by Boone.

Fernando Cruz came in to get the final out with runners on 1st and 3rd — keeping it a 10-4 game.

4. Yarbrough Did Not Have It — Minny Climbs to 10-8 in 6th

Ryan Yarbrough came in to pitch the 6th — and didn’t have it. Double, single, 3-run HR by Fitzgerald and it was a 10-7 game.

Yarbrough got a strikeout for the 1st out, but then allowed a double to Byron Buxton and was yanked.

5. Leiter Good

In came Mark Leiter with a runner on 2nd and only 1 out in a 10-7 game in the 6th. He allowed a bunt single and sac fly to make it a 10-8 game — run charged to Yarbrough.

But Leiter got the final out to end the inning, and pitched a much-needed 1-2-3 inning in the 7th. Yanks 10 Twins 8.

6. Devin Great

Devin Williams pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 8th — keeping the score right there at Yanks 10 Twins 8. And looked good doing it.

7. Minny Pen Shuts Down Yanks

Meanwhile the Minnesota pen shut the Yanks down.

The Yanks put a few runners in scoring position but could not capitalize.

Aaron Judge led off the 8th with a walk against Thomas Hatch — and went to 2nd on a wild pitch by new reliever Genesis Cabrera — but with 1 out tried to steal 3rd with Cody Bellinger up and was thrown out.

Giancarlo Stanton led off the 9th with a single and was pinchrun for by Jose Caballero. Jose stole 2nd but was stranded there as Cabrera got a pop up and groundout, and former Yankee Michael Tonkin came in and struck out Volpe.

8. Bednar the “Hickup” Save

And so it was to the 9th, the Yanks clinging to a 10-8 lead.

Bednar got the 1st out on 1 pitch — a foul out to Austin Wells.

But Larnach hit a MASSIVE 426-foot HR to right for a 10-9 game.

Bednar persevered — getting Bednar to ground out to 2nd and striking out Lewis swinging on a 2-2 splitter for the old ballgame.

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401697172

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