THE APEX TIMES
Bellinger’s tiebreaking homer and Chisholm’s big 8th carry Yankees past Red Sox
With Aaron Judge out of the lineup, New York relied on Cody Bellinger’s ninth home run of the season and Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s three-run blast to take control late and beat Boston 6-1 at Yankee Stadium.
The Yankees found another way to win a Sunday matinee against their AL East rivals, this time doing it without Aaron Judge in the lineup. New York scored in bunches in the eighth inning, highlighted by Cody Bellinger’s tie-breaking solo home run and a three-run drive from Jazz Chisholm Jr., and finished with a 6-1 victory over the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium.
Bellinger, who added another chapter to his recent surge, lifted a solo homer in the middle of the Yankees’ late push. The homer, his ninth of the season, came off a cutter from Justin Slaten, and it helped flip the game from “tight” to “decided” with one swing.
Chisholm then made the eighth inning feel like a turning point rather than a single moment. He had struck out in his first three at-bats before taking reliever Joe La Sorsa into the right-field bullpen, launching a three-run blast that widened the margin. Trent Grisham also contributed to the inning with a run-scoring single, helping New York cash in after Boston’s earlier lead.
The Red Sox did manage their lone run off New York’s starter before the Yankees’ bats broke things open. Boston scored in the sixth when Willson Contreras hit a run-scoring double deep to left, a play that involved a relay throw from Anthony Volpe that took catcher Ali Sánchez up the first-base line as Ceddanne Rafaela scored.
On the mound, Cam Schlittler kept the Yankees’ lead within reach early and gave them a chance to win even if the offense was slow. He worked 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball, walked one and struck out five, and did not factor into the decision. Schlittler entered the day leading the American League with a 1.87 ERA, and his start reinforced how important it is for New York to have credible innings even when the lineup is missing a key bat.
Since May 1, Bellinger has been a stabilizing force for New York’s offense, batting.303 with six homers, 26 RBIs, and a.962 OPS over that span. Against a division opponent, that kind of production matters because it reduces the pressure on any one player to carry the entire game. The Yankees still talk in terms of postseason expectations, and this one was a reminder that they can manufacture runs with timely power, even when Judge’s name is absent from the starting lineup sheet.
Why It Matters
- The win underscores New York’s lineup depth by producing enough offense to stay on course even with Aaron Judge absent.
- Bellinger’s continued power, paired with Chisholm’s ability to deliver late, gives the Yankees more flexibility in high-leverage innings.
- A late-inning, division-opponent victory reinforces the Yankees’ ability to separate games when their bullpen takes over a lead.
- With postseason expectations in view, performances like this reduce the team’s dependence on a single offensive driver and help stabilize scoring patterns over a long season.
Key Facts
- The Yankees defeated the Red Sox 6-1 on Sunday at Yankee Stadium.
- With Aaron Judge out of the lineup, Cody Bellinger hit a tie-breaking solo home run, his ninth of the season, off Justin Slaten.
- Jazz Chisholm Jr. added a three-run home run in the eighth inning off reliever Joe La Sorsa, after striking out in his first three at-bats.
- Trent Grisham drove in a run during the same eighth-inning surge that put the game away.
- Cam Schlittler pitched 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball, walking one and striking out five, and entered the day leading the American League with a 1.87 ERA.
- Boston’s only run came in the sixth inning on a run-scoring double by Willson Contreras.