Happy Flights, Happy Life for the Bombers

NEW YORK – The Yankees just took 2/3 from the priorly Red-Hot, San Diego Padres, both wins in come-back fashion, including the team's first walk off win of the season last night.

Prior to Tuesday, the Padres were 19-0 when leading after 7 innings. Entering play on Thursday, they are now 19-2.

Yesterday was the first time this season, the Yankees won a game trailing after the Seventh inning.

The Yankees went from being no hit to no way are we losing this game. I saw something the past two nights I have been looking for in this team all year - Grit.

On Tuesday night, they were down by a run in the bottom of the seventh, when Dominguez stretched a single into a double to open up an inning where the Bombers would score 10 runs in the frame, including an Austin Wells Grand Slam, the first of his career, and second for the Yankees in 2025. They were able to come back and beat a damn good bullpen on Tuesday night and leave feeling great.

On Wednesday, the Yanks sent their Ace out against Padres Ace Dylan Cease. It was a classic pitchers duel, and the Yankees were being no-hit through 6.1 innings, till Cody Bellinger hit a solo homer to tie the game. Then, when the Yankees were down 3-1 when Cabrera took a walk and Trent Grisham put one into the second deck against his old team to tie the game at 3 in the eighth.

When asked about the win, Grisham told the media:

“This series was kind of the epitome of the guys that are in this locker room: a lot of fight. Every game we were down and fighting back. We were in every single one of them. To come away with the last two is huge.”

With the game tied in the top of the 10th, Aaron Boone sent Devin Williams out to keep the game tied, with the ghost runner on second. Williams came in and struck out Tatis, Machado and Bogarts for a scoreless 10th inning.

When asked about his performance, Williams told the media:

"I've felt good for my last 5 outings. I feel like I'm back to where I need to be, mentally, physically, just competing."

Williams was also asked to expand on how he feels mentally:

"I don't really know. I just feel like myself. I've taken ownership of the situation, and since then, I've pitched with more confidence and just continued to do that today.”

Williams had his best outing and I believe that the walk to Arraez was strategic because of how often he puts the ball in play with a man on third and Machado is easier to double up if you get a ground ball.

Cabrera redeemed himself with a much better bunt to get Dominguez, the Ghost Runner to third with 1 out, setting the table for J.C. Escarra. Escarra drove an Uber and was a substitute teacher to make ends meet and keep playing baseball, had his first walk-off in the big leagues, a Sac Fly to win the series.

When asked about the Walk-Off, Escarra told reporters:

Man, a lot was going through my mind. My heart was pounding through my chest, standing there, hitting but you know my story, that you know what happened today. It makes it all worth it. So, you know, I just got to thank Boonie, you know, for my teammates for trusting me with that, that at-bat, and all I could do is show up every day and, you know, have the same routine, get ready, the same way, like if I was going to play. And then, you know, when my name is called, just how it was today. You know, give my give my teammates a chance to win.

J.C. was then asked how he was able to slow down the moment and produce?

Yeah. So, you know, I focus on, you know, breathing heavy, deep breaths and not trying to do too much.

The Yankees showed a lot of fight in this series, coming back against one of the best teams, and more importantly, one of the best bullpens in Baseball. Winning close games and having the ability to come back in games is what separates the good teams from the great teams.

Before this series, I will go out on a limb and say that teams were not scared of the Yankees in the late innings because they didn't have that ability to come back in games, but they just did it on back to back days against the best bullpen in baseball. The Yankees, at home at least, can now be a little more feared late in games.

Shoutout to Cody Bellinger, who is beginning to turn the corner offensively. I have been patient with him because I trust the veteran to adapt to a new environment, and he seems to be coming around offensively. His Homer to break up the no-no in the seventh was one of the biggest hits you can have, and I am happy Belli got that hit.

The Yankees head to Sacramento to take on the A's: