The Texas Rangers let a sweep slip through their fingers when they had the New York Yankees on the ropes. Fortunately for Aaron Boone, the Bronx Bombers salvaged one game in the series, but for Bruce Bochy‘s team, it was a missed opportunity to make a statement in the heated MLB Wild Card race.
After this loss, the Rangers hold a 60-56 record for the season, placing them an unfortunate 1.5 games behind the final postseason berth.
The Yankees come alive in Texas
Finally, the much-criticized bullpen stepped up, holding the lead and giving Aaron Boone some breathing room. After falling behind, a line-drive hit by Anthony Volpe allowed Cody Bellinger to score, and an error tied the game at 2-2.
Paul Goldschmidt‘s solo home run put the team ahead 3-2, setting the stage for the pitchers to secure a much-needed victory. Mark Leiter Jr., Tim Hill, Dominican Yerry De Los Santos, and David Bednar combined to preserve the tie left by Carlos Rodón, who battled with runners on base for over five innings.
Rodón allowed six hits and issued four walks but limited the damage to just two runs, leaving the game tied before handing it over to the bullpen. Bednar, recently acquired in a trade with the Pirates at the trade deadline, sealed the victory by striking out four consecutive batters between the eighth and ninth innings. This marked his first save in a Yankees uniform and reinforced the message that the bullpen can once again be a strength in critical moments.
The Yankees remain 6.5 games behind the division leader but hold the final Wild Card spot for the postseason. They can’t afford to get complacent or overconfident after this win, as another bad streak could jeopardize their entire season. Still, this victory was undoubtedly one they desperately needed.
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