Yankees 12-3 Padres: Bombers go on bombing spree with 10-run seventh
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Follow UsNew York Yankees 12-3 San Diego Padres
Yankees catcher Austin Wells delivered a breakthrough performance with five RBIs in a single frame — including his first big league grand slam — to catapult the New York Yankees to a commanding 12-3 victory over the San Diego Padres on Tuesday evening at Yankee Stadium. The remarkable seventh-inning surge halted the Yankees’ three-game losing streak and emphatically ended one of their most anemic offensive stretches this season.
Wells showcases power in historic seventh
Wells’ performance will go down as one of the most explosive offensive displays in recent Yankees lore. The rookie backstop evened the score at 3-3 with an RBI single against Adrian Morejón, then returned later in the seventh and crushed a full-count changeup from former Yankee Wandy Peralta deep into the right-field seats. The grand slam punctuated a staggering 10-run explosion — the Yankees’ most productive inning of the 2025 campaign.
The feat marked the first instance of a Yankees hitter collecting five RBIs in a single inning since Alex Rodriguez accomplished the rare achievement in 2009. Wells’ breakthrough showing not only transformed the game but likely strengthened his position within the Yankees’ catching hierarchy.
Judge goes deep, extends impressive streak
Aaron Judge continued his MVP-caliber season, belting his 12th round-tripper of the year against former teammate Michael King in the fourth frame. Judge’s opposite-field shot pushed his on-base streak to 32 consecutive games, currently the longest active run in the majors.
Later that inning, Cody Bellinger crossed the plate on Fernando Tatis Jr.‘s errant throw, increasing New York’s early advantage. Judge received an intentional pass in the seventh, creating a bases-loaded scenario that the Yankees exploited with devastating efficiency.
Complete offensive attack overwhelms Padres
New York’s seventh-inning rampage featured seven hits, four walks, and contributions throughout the batting order. After Wells knotted the score, Trent Grisham drew a four-pitch walk to force home the go-ahead run. Paul Goldschmidt received an intentional pass to load the bases, setting the stage for what became an unstoppable offensive barrage.
Ben Rice ripped a two-run double — his fifth hit against left-handed pitching this season — to widen the margin. Bellinger and Anthony Volpe added run-scoring singles, and Wells’ grand slam provided the emphatic finishing touch on a statement-making inning.
Cruz navigates trouble
Fernando Cruz (1-0) entered in the top of the seventh with the Yankees trailing 3-2 and immediately encountered difficulty. After surrendering an RBI double to Tatis Jr., Cruz walked Luis Arraez to fill the bases but recovered to strike out Manny Machado, thwarting the Padres’ momentum. The clutch escape proved pivotal as the Yankees erupted in the bottom half.
Starter Clarke Schmidt yielded two runs on seven hits over six innings but didn’t factor in the decision. He pitched effectively, despite a fourth-inning balk that allowed Machado to score, and a sacrifice fly from Jason Heyward that brought home Jackson Merrill.
Padres’ relief corps implodes after King’s departure
San Diego appeared firmly in control after Michael King — making his first appearance in the Bronx since being traded in the Juan Soto deal — limited the damage to just two runs across six innings. However, Morejón and Peralta failed to contain New York’s late-game onslaught. The Yankees tagged the pair for 10 runs in the seventh, transforming a close contest into a blowout.
Tatis Jr.’s defensive miscue and inconsistent command from the bullpen characterized a Padres defense that unraveled under pressure.
Key moment & stat
Down 3-2 in the seventh with the bases loaded, Fernando Cruz’s strikeout of Manny Machado extinguished a potentially game-altering rally for San Diego. The high-pressure escape maintained a manageable deficit and completely shifted momentum toward the Yankees.
Austin Wells became the first Yankees player in over a decade to drive in five runs within a single inning, a remarkable achievement that highlighted the franchise’s most prolific inning since August 2021. The Yankees amassed 10 runs on seven hits and four walks during the frame.
Yankees roster
| hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | HR | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| T. GrishamCF | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.284 | 0.37 | 0.602 |
| B. Rice1B | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.264 | 0.362 | 0.573 |
| O. PerazaPR-2B | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.2 | 0.273 | 0.325 |
| A. JudgeRF | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.412 | 0.503 | 0.772 |
| P. ReyesRF | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.158 | 0.238 | 0.158 |
| C. BellingerLF | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.205 | 0.281 | 0.359 |
| J. DominguezDH | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.238 | 0.33 | 0.376 |
| A. VolpeSS | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.236 | 0.322 | 0.433 |
| A. WellsC | 4 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.22 | 0.273 | 0.486 |
| O. Cabrera3B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.25 | 0.317 | 0.304 |
| J. Vivas2B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.111 | 0.333 | 0.111 |
| aP. GoldschmidtPH-1B | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.351 | 0.401 | 0.478 |
| pitchers | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | HR | PC-ST | ERA |
| C. Schmidt | 6 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 85-53 | 4.79 |
| T. Hill | 0.1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9-Oct | 3.06 |
| F. Cruz(W, 1-0) | 0.2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 15-8 | 1.37 |
| T. Matzek | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13-10 | 4.15 |
| Y. De los Santos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6-Sep | 0 |
Up next
Wednesday, May 7 — Yankee Stadium, New York
- Yankees starter: LHP Max Fried (6-0, 1.01 ERA)
- Padres starter: RHP Dylan Cease (1-2, 5.61 ERA)
- First pitch: 7:05 p.m. ET
New York hands the ball to ace Max Fried, the American League’s ERA leader, and first hurler in the majors to reach six victories this season. The Yankees will aim to secure the series against a struggling Dylan Cease and build momentum heading into their upcoming AL East showdown.
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- Categories: Aaron Judge, Austin Wells, Fernando Cruz, Post Game Recaps
- Tags: aaron judge, Austin Wells, fernando cruz, yankees vs padres
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