Yankees rally in ninth, defeat Atlanta in 10th on Ryan McMahon's sacrifice fly
Yankees' Ryan McMahon is doused with water by teammate Austin Wells after his 10th-inning, winning sacrifice fly against Atlanta at Yankee Stadium on Friday. Credit: Getty Images/Jim McIsaac
Two hitters in severe slumps helped the Yankees to an improbable ninth-inning rally that allowed them to tie the score on Friday night.
Then, after first baseman Luis Garcia Jr. — obtained earlier in the week because of his bat — made an over-the-shoulder catch to save a run in the top of the 10th, Ryan McMahon’s sacrifice fly in the bottom half drove in Garcia to give the Yankees a much-needed 3-2 victory over Atlanta in front of 42,297 at the Stadium.
Only a fraction of whom remained at game’s end as first pitch was delayed 1 hour, 55 minutes by area storms.
Austin Wells, whose season-long struggles at the plate prompted general manager Brian Cashman to scour the market for a righthanded-hitting catcher, delivered a two-out RBI double in the ninth off Atlanta closer Raisel Iglesias that moved the Yankees within 2-1. Then Ben Rice, mired in a 2-for-33 slide, lined an RBI single off the rightfield wall to tie it.
Just-called-up rookie shortstop George Lombard Jr. started the ninth-inning rally with an infield single, advancing to third on Iglesias' throwing error. In the 10th, Lombard worked a walk in front of McMahon to load the bases with one out, and after falling behind 0-and-2, McMahon lifted a fly ball to deep rightfield on Tyler Kinley's seventh pitch to end Atlanta's winning streak at nine games.
“Obviously, it’s been tough for us,'' Aaron Boone said, "but the guys, they’re gritty and they’ve played in a lot of these [close] games . . . [a lot of] backs-up-against-the-wall at-bats and they were able to deliver.”
Garcia prevented Atlanta from taking the lead in the top of the 10th with an outstanding running catch of Ronald Acuna Jr.'s bid for a two-out RBI hit. “To be honest,'' Garcia said through his interpreter, ''I didn’t think I had a chance.”
Max Fried was terrific in his fourth start since returning from the injured list. Facing the team with whom he spent the first eight seasons of his career, he allowed three hits and two walks in 6 1/3 scoreless innings, striking out seven and lowering his season ERA to 2.88.
Did facing Atlanta mean something extra to Fried? “It definitely did. This one’s been circled on the calendar for a little bit,'' he said. "It’s a first-class organization that has unbelievable people from the top down. I was really lucky to start my career there. Obviously couldn’t be happier being a Yankee and this chapter, but definitely was able to take a step back and be thankful for my time over there.”
The Yankees (65-51) stayed a half-game ahead of the Red Sox, who won again to improve to 32-5 since June 25. Atlanta fell to 70-46.
Austin Riley led off the eighth inning of a scoreless game against righthander Fernando Cruz with a towering homer to left. Matt Olson led off the ninth with his 33rd homer, a 407-foot shot to center against Tim Hill, to make it 2-0.
Atlanta righty Tyler Mahle, who entered the night 3-9 with a 5.13 ERA, allowed three hits and two walks in six innings in which he struck out nine. The Yankees wound up striking out 15 times and entered the ninth with only four hits.
Atlanta accumulated two of its three hits against Fried in the first inning, the second of those a two-out single by Mauricio Dubon. Drake Baldwin appeared to score from second, but Ozzie Albies, trying to go from first to third on the play, was thrown out at third by Trent Grisham just before the lead runner touched home plate. The Yankees challenged and the call was overturned, keeping the game scoreless.
Fried allowed only one more hit in his outing, a leadoff single to Acuna, and retired the final 12 batters he faced.
After going 19-5 with a 2.86 ERA in his first season with the Yankees in 2025, the lefthander was 4-3 with a 3.12 ERA in 13 starts this season before his elbow flared up, but he has pitched effectively since his return.
“Feel like the stuff’s been really good,” Aaron Boone said late Friday afternoon.
Fried, whom the Yankees returned a bit earlier than they had hoped because of the need for a fifth starter and their reluctance to recall prospect Elmer Rodriguez from the minors, was brilliant on July 22 against the Pirates.
On a pitch count of roughly 60 because he had thrown 52 pitches in a three-inning rehab outing on July 17, he threw 57 pitches in allowing one hit and one walk with seven strikeouts in five scoreless innings in the second game of a doubleheader. He was not involved in the decision in the Yankees’ 2-0 victory.
His next start, July 27 at the White Sox, did not go as well. He allowed three runs, five hits and two walks in three innings in the Yankees’ 9-5 win.
He then allowed one run, two hits and a walk with seven strikeouts in 5 1⁄3 innings against the Cubs, who sport one of the National League’s top lineups, last Saturday at Wrigley Field. He got a no-decision in a 5-2 loss.
“The second time out, he struggled to get into a little bit of a rhythm, but I feel like overall [he’s] thrown the ball really well,” Boone said. “The stuff’s really good. I’m really encouraged.”
Fried’s pitch count has steadily increased in each outing from 57 to 66 to 78 to 90 Friday night.
“Almost,” Boone said of Fried being fully built up. “He’s not all the way up to like 100 [pitches], but he’s getting there.”
Erik Boland started in Newsday's sports department in 2002. He covered high school and college sports, then shifted to the Jets beat. He has covered the Yankees since 2009.
More Yankees headlines
