Yankees nearly perfect, then nearly collapse – until Stanton steps in

The New York Yankees (69-57) had to sweat it out before sealing a 6-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays (61-66). Starter Cam Schlittler carried a perfect game into the seventh inning, backed by homers from Trent Grisham and Austin Wells, and it looked like a straightforward win. But Tampa Bay rallied to tie it in the ninth before Stanton’s bat delivered the knockout punch in extras.

Grisham, hitting leadoff, wasted no time. He jumped on a breaking ball from Drew Rasmussen in the opening frame and powered it over the right-field wall. It didn’t need much – just 345 feet – but it was enough to give the Yankees the early lead.

Wells added to it in the fifth, unloading on the first pitch he saw from Rasmussen for a solo shot, his 16th of the season, clearing the right-field wall at George M. Steinbrenner Field.

Grisham wasn’t done either, belting his second of the night – his 23rd of the year – in the eighth inning. He crushed a Griffin Jax fastball at 105.3 mph, sending it soaring toward Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

Cam Schlittler’s near brush with perfection

The Yankees’ rookie right-hander was dealing, retiring the first 18 batters he faced. He fanned Chandler Simpson to open the night, then breezed through Yandy Díaz and Brandon Lowe. By the sixth inning, he had already struck out Díaz again, Brandon Lowe, and Bob Seymour.

But his bid for the 25th perfect game in MLB history ended in the seventh when Simpson broke it up with a clean single. Schlittler then struck out Junior Caminero, issued a walk to Josh Lowe, and handed the ball over to Luke Weaver.

Tampa Bay finally broke through in the eighth. Seymour, a 26-year-old rookie, smashed a high fastball 357 feet to right-center for his first major league home run, cutting into the Yankees’ lead.

Bedlam followed in the ninth. Brandon Lowe drew a walk off David Bednar, Caminero singled, and Hunter Feduccia came within inches of a home run, driving in two with a near-miss off the wall to tie it at 3-3. The Rays couldn’t push across more, sending the game to extras.

Giancarlo Stanton plays hero

In the 10th, Aaron Boone turned to Stanton as a pinch-hitter with Anthony Volpe on second. The slugger responded with a towering blast to put New York up by two. Wells followed with his second homer of the game, stretching the lead to 6-3.

The Rays clawed one back when Seymour singled home Jake Magnum, but Devin Williams slammed the door, striking out Simpson, Díaz and Brandon Lowe in order to lock down the win.

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.

Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.