The Yankees were in danger of losing their fourth straight game on Tuesday night, but an offensive outburst that the team had not produced in a decade snapped its losing skid in epic fashion.
Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the seventh, the Bronx Bombers lived up to their nickname with a 10-run inning to blow the game open and beat up on the Padres bullpen, capped off by an Austin Wells grand slam, the first of his career.
The 10-run outburst was the team’s most in an inning since 2015, and most in an inning at Yankee Stadium since 2011.
The onslaught began with a leadoff double by Jasson Dominguez, a single by Anthony Volpe, and a single by Wells before the first out was recorded, a pop out on a bunt attempt by Oswaldo Cabrera. Back-to-back walks set up Ben Rice for a two-run double, and Cody Bellinger singled home a pair after Aaron Judge was intentionally walked.
Volpe singled for the second time in the inning two batters later before Wells rocked the Stadium with a grand slam, a laser line drive into the right field seats before the inning came to a merciful end when Cabrera grounded out.
All told, the Yanks sent 13 men to the plate in the inning, their biggest scoring inning since plating 11 in the second inning of a 21-5 win over the Rangers on July 28, 2015.
The Yanks have their ace in Max Fried lined up to start Wednesday’s series finale.