Yankees Conquer Brayan Bello, Hold Off Red Sox 5-3 to Win Series at Fenway
Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s three-hit, three-RBI performance and a four-man bullpen finish lift New York to a critical road victory
BOSTON — The New York Yankees defeated the Boston Red Sox 5-3 on Saturday at Fenway Park, finally breaking through against a nemesis on the mound and holding on late as their bullpen closed out a tense game to clinch the series.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. supplied the biggest offensive spark, collecting three hits and three RBIs, including a 29th-season home run that put the Yankees ahead 4-0 in the fifth inning off Red Sox starter Brayan Bello. New York's relievers — Luke Weaver, Devin Williams, Fernando Cruz and David Bednar — combined to record the final 11 outs to secure the victory.
The Yankees wasted multiple opportunities to extend the lead but survived a late Boston rally. Cruz surrendered a solo home run to Jarren Duran in the eighth inning, cutting New York's cushion. Cody Bellinger provided insurance in the ninth with an RBI double following a nine-pitch battle against Aroldis Chapman, helping close out the 5-3 final.
The win moved the Yankees to 83-65 and placed them 2 1/2 games ahead of the Red Sox (81-68) for the top American League wild-card spot. New York remained three games behind the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East, with Toronto holding the tiebreaker and 14 games left in the regular season after the Blue Jays pulled off a late comeback against the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday.
Manager decisions and bullpen usage drew attention late as the game tightened. After Bello yielded the Yankees' early lead, New York turned to a sequence of relievers to preserve the margin. Weaver and Williams bridged the middle innings before Cruz and Bednar handled the final frames; Bednar recorded the last outs to complete the save.
Chisholm's homer in the fifth brought him to 29 on the season and left him one shy of joining the 30-30 club, a milestone that has heightened interest in his remaining games. His three-hit outing was the centerpiece of a day in which the Yankees struggled to extend leads but managed to protect a multi-run advantage against a club that has challenged them all season.
The Yankees will have a chance to complete a series sweep at Fenway Park on Sunday night. The outcome could further affect the AL wild-card race and the division standings with the season entering its final two weeks.
New York's remaining schedule and Boston's push for postseason positioning set up high-stakes games in the closing stretch. For now, the Yankees leave Fenway with a series victory and momentum as they chase a playoff berth in September.