CHICAGO — The New York Yankees delivered their most dramatic triumph of the season Saturday night, scoring three times in the 11th inning to edge the Chicago White Sox 5-3 at Guaranteed Rate Field. The extra-inning victory extended their winning streak to seven and secured a milestone not seen in nearly three decades.
The Yankees (76-60) have now reeled off nine straight road wins, their longest streak away from home since 1998, the year they captured the World Series. The run has pushed them squarely back into the American League East race, cutting their deficit behind the Toronto Blue Jays to two games.
Early power display sets the stage
Aaron Judge struck first with a towering 429-foot home run to center in the fourth inning, his 42nd of the year. The solo blast off Chicago starter Shane Smith put the New York Yankees on the board and left Judge just one homer shy of Yogi Berra’s franchise mark of 358 career long balls.
It was Judge’s fifth homer since returning from the injured list on August 5. Though he entered the night hitting just .218 in August, the Yankees captain’s swing suggested a breakthrough was close.
“Good to see that,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “He’ll get going. You can’t hold him down too long. A hot streak is around the corner.”
Yankees catcher Austin Wells padded the lead in the seventh with his 19th homer of the season, a 410-foot shot to right-center. It was Wells’ fourth in eight games, continuing his recent power surge.
Rookie pitcher shines under pressure
Yankees Rookie right-hander Cam Schlittler continued to impress with another poised outing. He held Chicago to one run on four hits across six innings, striking out eight with just one walk.
Schlittler endured a tense moment in the fifth when Brooks Baldwin’s 102.1 mph liner drilled him on the right forearm. After a quick check from the trainers, he stayed in the game and didn’t flinch.
“It got me in the forearm and a little bit of the glove,” Schlittler said. “I wasn’t really concerned. I didn’t really feel it out there. It gave me that extra adrenaline I was looking for.”
The 23-year-old has now produced a 2.61 ERA over 48.1 innings since his midseason Yankees call-up, providing vital stability to a rotation thinned by injuries.
Williams stumbles as White Sox tie it up
The Yankees’ lead slipped away in the seventh when Devin Williams entered from the bullpen. The veteran reliever surrendered a leadoff double to Curtis Mead and then an RBI single to Chase Meidroth, knotting the score 2-2.
It was Williams’ fourth blown save of the season and snapped a streak of scoreless outings dating back to August 8. The timing stung, as the Yankees were trying to keep momentum rolling during their surge.
Extra innings drama unfolds
The tension peaked in the 10th when the White Sox put the automatic runner on third with one out. Boone countered with a five-man infield, and Lenyn Sosa nearly ended it with a drive down the right-field line that hooked just foul.
“I was blowing to try and help it get foul,” Wells joked after the game.
David Bednar, who had already worked a clean ninth, escaped by striking out Sosa and inducing a flyout from Colson Montgomery. The Houdini act sent the contest into the 11th and set the stage for the Yankees’ decisive rally.
Three-run 11th seals the victory
The Yankees had only three hits through 10 innings but erupted against reliever Tyler Alexander in the 11th. After Paul Goldschmidt advanced the free runner with a flyout, Judge drew an intentional walk.
Cody Bellinger then blooped a single into left, plating the go-ahead run. Jazz Chisholm Jr. followed with a ringing double down the line in left, stretching the Yankees’ lead to 4-2.
“Stayed inside it and obviously just wanted it to get heavy, wanted it to drop as fast as possible,” Bellinger said of his clutch hit.
Anthony Volpe capped the surge with an opposite-field double inside the right-field line, giving the New York Yankees a 5-2 cushion.
“Jazz’s swing was excellent, because Alexander is tough left-on-left,” Boone said. “Really good swing going the other way there. Good at-bats to be able to pile on there.”
Doval closes it out for first Yankees save
Trade-deadline acquisition Camilo Doval finished the job, securing his first save in pinstripes. The right-hander gave up the automatic runner on Will Robertson’s groundout but struck out Edgar Quero to end it.
The save was his 16th of the year overall and a significant moment in his transition to the Bronx.
Playoff implications intensify
The win brought the New York Yankees within two games of Toronto for the division lead, slicing a 6.5-game deficit from a week earlier. It also preserved their 1.5-game edge over Boston for the top AL wild card. Losses by Toronto, Boston, and Seattle on Saturday tightened the playoff race further.
“We’re playing well. We’ve got to keep it going,” Boone said. “This was a good win to get. This was a gritty one after pulling away in the first two with big numbers. To find a way to get this one done is big.”
Building momentum for tough stretch ahead
The Yankees have now won 14 of 18, transforming their season from uneven to surging. The seven-game streak is their longest of 2025 and has come at the expense of last-place Washington and Chicago, clubs they needed to beat.
Next up is a critical series in Houston, where the Astros will provide a more formidable test.
“We can’t focus on other people,” Bellinger said. “We just focus on the guys in this locker room. We have another baseball game tomorrow. I know that’s all we’re focused on.”
Saturday’s comeback embodied the Yankees’ resilience. After letting a lead slip away and flirting with defeat in extra innings, they pieced together their best offensive inning when it mattered most. The nine-game road streak, their first since 1998, underscores how dangerous this team has become at the right time.
With 26 games left, every win carries weight. If the Yankees’ mix of power, pitching, and late-game grit holds, this stretch may be remembered as the turning point of their season.
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
