Yankees rout Astros 9-3 as Bellinger, García Jr. ignite offense

A Decisive Seventh Inning

The New York Yankees defeated the Houston Astros 9-3 on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. The game’s momentum shifted dramatically in the seventh inning, when Cody Bellinger hit a tiebreaking double to center field that scored Grisham and Rice. This play gave New York a 5-3 lead.

The Yankees extended their advantage later in the same frame when Chisholm Jr. doubled to left field, allowing Bellinger to score and Jones to reach third. Junior García, who had moved to third base earlier in the inning, scored on a single by Jones, pushing the lead to 7-3.

Scoring Sequence

The Astros took a brief 2-1 lead in the first inning after Altuve’s double scored Paredes, but New York answered immediately. Rice homered to right field to tie the game, and Lombard Jr. grounded out to first base, allowing García Jr. to score and Bellinger to reach third. Houston retook the lead in the fourth inning when Varsho homered to center field.

The Astros added another run in the seventh inning when Altuve scored on an error, with Walker and Varsho also benefiting from fielding mistakes. However, the Yankees' offensive surge in the bottom of the seventh proved decisive.

Pitching and Records

Elmer Rodriguez pitched six innings for the Yankees, allowing three runs on three hits while walking two and striking out six. Paul Blackburn earned the win in one scoreless inning of relief, while Michael Fulmer and Tim Hill each pitched one inning without allowing a hit or an earned run.

For Houston, Peter Lambert started the game, pitching 5.2 innings with seven hits, two earned runs, three walks, and five strikeouts. Bennett Sousa took the loss after pitching 0.1 innings, allowing five hits and four earned runs. Kai-Wei Teng and Enyel De Los Santos also appeared in relief for the Astros.

The Yankees improved their record to 75-57 with the victory. The Astros fell to 66-67. Attendance at Yankee Stadium was 40,269. The game featured three total home runs: one by Rice, one by Varsho, and one by García Jr. No other home runs were recorded in the contest.

Sources

https://www.espn.com/mlb/game/_/gameId/401816682