The New York Yankees defeated the Los Angeles Angels 6-3 in 10 innings on Wednesday night, gaining ground in the American League East division race.
Austin Wells delivered a clutch two-run single with the bases loaded in the top of the 10th inning, breaking a tie and putting the Yankees ahead. This hit was the first of four consecutive RBI singles for New York in the extra frame, with Cody Bellinger, Trent Grisham, and Ben Rice also driving in runs to extend the lead.
Michael Fulmer allowed a two-run home run in the bottom of the 10th but recovered to close out the game for the Yankees. With the win, New York (80-60) moved to 3 ½ games behind the Tampa Bay Rays for the division lead and holds a five-game lead over the Boston Red Sox for the top AL wild card spot entering Thursday's off-day.
Pitching Duel Spoiled
Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler had a dominant outing, holding the Angels to one run over eight innings. He allowed just two hits, walked none, and struck out nine. However, Schlittler's strong performance was met with a no-decision after Angels batter Vaughn Grissom hit a solo home run in the seventh inning, tying the game 1-1.
Angels pitcher Reid Detmers matched Schlittler for much of the game, allowing only one run over seven innings. Detmers stifled the Yankees lineup through the first three innings before New York scored in the fourth. Ben Rice reached on a swinging bunt, and Amed Rosario followed with a ground-rule double to score Cody Bellinger for the game's first run.
Schlittler's ERA now stands at 2.04. This outing marked the 19th time in 29 starts that he has allowed one run or fewer. Before Wednesday's game, Schlittler's closest competitor in the AL Cy Young race, Blue Jays ace Dylan Cease, had thrown six shutout innings against the Guardians, lowering his ERA to 2.25.
Schlittler had previously struggled with walks in August, allowing 16 batters to reach base in 27 innings across five starts. However, he made an adjustment and did not issue a walk against the Angels.
Late-Game Drama
After the Angels tied the game in the seventh, the Yankees' offense came alive in the 10th. David Bednar pitched a scoreless bottom of the ninth to send the game to extras. In the top of the 10th, the Yankees loaded the bases with one out.
Wells then hit his go-ahead single. The Yankees followed with three more RBI singles, pushing their lead to 6-1 before Fulmer took the mound. The Yankees' priorities for September include chasing the Rays for the division title and ensuring players like Aaron Judge are healthy for the postseason.