Cam Schlittler pitched ANOTHER Gem — 7 innings of 3-hit, 1-run ball, striking out 10 and walking 0 — and this time the Yankee offense had his back: Ryan McMahon with an RBI double in the 5th to put Cam ahead 2-1, and Heliot Ramos with a 3-run HR in the 8th to give NY a 5-1 lead en route to a 5-3 win over Colorado at Yankee Stadium on a beautiful, 75-degree Tuesday night.
Tim Hill gave up a 2-run HR to Hunter Goodman with 2 outs in the 9th to make it 5-3, but David Bednar came in to strike out a batter and get the save.
Aaron Judge was back from a 2-month stay on the IL due to the broken rib. He went 0-3 but looked good at the plate. The Yanks had the best hitter in baseball back, and the best pitcher in baseball on the mound.
“He’s been the best pitcher in the league,” said manager Aaron Boone afterwards. “When you’ve got that going all year at the top of your rotation — that’s massive. And that’s what he’s been.”
NY improves to 82-62, and remain 4 back of Tampa but go 3 games over Boston. Colorado falls to 55-89.
1. Yanks Slip on Top 1-0
Colorado started Gabriel Hughes, a 24-year-old, 6’4 righty who throws a cutter that he learned by watching Mariano Rivera on youtube. He came in at 0-6 6.19 — so hasn’t been as successful as Rivera yet — but is considered to have good stuff.
And he pitched well — 5 innings of 4-hit ball, striking out 6, walking 0 and allowing 2 runs — only 1 earned. But he would lose to go 0-7 5.81.
The unearned run came in the 1st inning: Hughes hit Ben Rice with a pitch to lead off the game, but got Cody Bellinger to hit into a fielder’s choice groundout and struck out Aaron Judge on a 2-2 pitch looking.
But Luis Garcia Jr. singled into center, and centerfielder Jake McCarthy booted the ball, then threw it to nobody — allowing Bellinger to get to 3rd, and then waltz home with nobody covering home plate. NY 1 Colorado 0.
Belli scores with some heads-up base running! ?♂️? pic.twitter.com/wN7Ldul3JX
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) September 8, 2026
2. Schlittler Throws ANOTHER Gem
Then Cam Schlittler took the hill and pitched like the best pitcher in the American League. He retired the first 6 batters of the game, 4 on strikeouts.
Cam was throwing his usual 101-MPH heat offset by his 97-MPH cutter and wicked 89-MPH curveball.
Cam Schlittler, 97mph Cutter (top of the zone/called strike) and 101mph Elevated Fastball (swinging K), Individual Pitches and Overlay.
Why you can’t just “lay off” Cam Schlittler’s Elevated Heater. ? pic.twitter.com/C1PzdNKFby
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 9, 2026
Not to mention Cam’s pinpoint control.
Cam Schlittler, 86mph Hammer. ? pic.twitter.com/VsnUGrO2bE
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 9, 2026
Cam made 1 mistake all night — a 97-MPH sinker to Amador leading off the 3rd who hit it for a 385-foot HR to right center and a 1-1 tie.
Say goodbye ? pic.twitter.com/Kt7Lltu6qp
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) September 8, 2026
After that Cam retired the next 11 in a row — pitching a 1-2-3 inning in the 4th and 5th before allowing a 2-out single in the 6th. Cam allowed a leadoff single to former Yankee TJ Rumfield in the 7th before getting the next 3 guys in a row to end his evening, up 2-1.
Cam Schlittler’s 10th K pic.twitter.com/b8kpEjnHEM
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 9, 2026
3. Judge in Right; S Jones in Center
With Trent Grisham out with the hamstring pull, the 6’7 Spencer Jones is now the starting Yankee centerfielder — flanked by 6’7 Aaron Judge in right.
Look at the tall outfield duo ?@M_Marakovits pic.twitter.com/P4Hh1YluCl
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) September 9, 2026
4. McMahon RBI Double Puts NY Up 2-1
The Yanks got Cam back the lead in the 5th on a 1-out single by George Lombard Jr. and an RBI double to right by Ryan McMahon. NY 2 Colorado 1.
McDouble! ? pic.twitter.com/z2AlZaN4k2
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) September 9, 2026
5. Headrick Pitches Strong 8th
Brent Headrick came in for the 8th to protect the 2-1 lead, and got fly out, strikeout, strikeout for a 1-2-3 inning.
6. Ramos 3-run HR Makes It 5-1 NY in 8th
So the game went to the bottom of the 8th, with the Yankees needing an insurance run — and they got it and more.
Ben Rice led off the inning by working a walk against 6’4 lefty reliever Brennan Bernardino. Cody Bellinger followed with a double to left to put runners on 2nd and 3rd with nobody out.
NY needed a sac fly. Heliot Ramos got the ball in the air and deep to center — for a 402-foot, 3-run HR and 5-1 Yankee lead.
Ramos Rakes ?#RepBX pic.twitter.com/vbdjoYFBKV
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 9, 2026
Jazz Chisholm Jr. followed the HR with a single to right but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double. He pulled something on the slide and was replaced at 2nd by Jose Caballero for the 9th.
7. Hill Allows HR to Goodman; Bednar Gets Save
And so it was a 5-1 game in the 9th, and Tim Hill took the hill and got consecutive groundouts to begin the inning.
NY was an out away up 5-1.
But Hill walked T.J. Rumfield, the lefty swinging former Yankee prospect whom they traded for Angel Chivelli. Rumfield is having a bang-up rookie season, slashing 15-67-.299 (.390 OBP, .850 OPS) in Colorado.
Next batter Hunter Goodman hit a 347-foot HR into the short porch in right for a 5-3 game. Goodman — now slashing 37-78-.249 (.316 OBP, 848 OPS) — is the Colorado catcher whom rumors had the Yankees interested in acquiring at the trade deadline.
David Bednar came in to get the final out — and he did — striking out Mickey Moniak on 3 pitches — curveball, 95-MPH fastball, and 90-MPH splitter swung at and missed for the old ballgame.
Etcetera
It was reported after the game that Fernando Cruz has opted to not get surgery for a partial tear in his UCL, and instead get a cortisone shot and attempt to return this season.
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