Inside The Pinstripes

Yankees Confident That Walk-Off Win Over Twins Can Spark Momentum Down the Stretch

The New York Yankees secured a comeback victory over the Minnesota Twins with a walk-off single from Gary Sanchez, a win that they believe will spark momentum

Max Goodman

Mike Stobe/Getty Images

What had the makings of another demoralizing defeat for the Yankees on Monday afternoon in the Bronx turned out to be an exhilarating comeback victory. 

New York fell behind 5-0 within the first three innings as prospect Luis Gil allowed three home runs. Meanwhile, the offense didn't have a base hit through the first fourth frames.

Then in the sixth, something clicked. New York successfully capped off the five-run comeback with a three-run home run off the bat of Aaron Judge in the eighth, energizing the crowd at Yankee Stadium. After heading to extra innings, a Gary Sánchez walk-off single sealed the 7-6 victory. 

Factor the comeback in with Sunday's loss and late night at Citi Field—along with Saturday's ceremonies to honor the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001—and this was a huge win for the Bombers.

"To fall behind like that after an emotional weekend and obviously with these games meaning so much, that's a good one right there," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. 

The Yankees were 0-35 in games where they were losing by four-plus runs this season entering play on Monday. Outfielder Joey Gallo, who homered in the seventh, praised his teammates resolve to keep battling even after falling behind early.

"I think we've been playing good baseball," he said. "Some tough losses lately, but that happens. It was really good to see the fight we had today, we could've easily let that game go."

Instead, Gallo and his teammates allowed themselves to have what he called a "happy flight" down to Baltimore where the Yankees kick off a three-game set on Tuesday night. Ace Gerrit Cole is set to toe the slab, making his first start since an injury scare, leaving the game with hamstring tightness.

Monday night's win doesn't wipe away this brutal stretch that's transpired the Bombers rattled off 13 wins in a row in late August. They can't get those games back, and are in jeopardy of missing the postseason, but with less than a month to go, Boone hasn't lost a sliver of confidence in his resilient group.

"I know we're capable of at our best," Boone said. "We've been through a little bit of everything this year, so it's gonna take our best. But if we do that, we've got a chance."

Judge has been New York's leader all season long, both on and off the field. His 33rd home run of the year brought this club back in the eighth, capitalizing on an elevated cutter from Twins reliever Alex Colomé. 

The slugger, along with Gallo and their skipper, all agreed that a game like this is a win that can spark a team, providing some momentum. At this point in the season, they need all the help they can get.

"It's a roller coaster, but you've got to enjoy the ride," Judge said. "I'm excited down the stretch, this is a fun part of the year. Just keep riding it and ride it through the playoffs."

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Max Goodman
MAX GOODMAN

Max Goodman covers the New York Yankees for Sports Illustrated and FanNation. Goodman has been on the Yankees beat for three seasons. He is also the publisher of Sports Illustrated and FanNation's Jets site, Jets Country. Before starting Inside The Pinstripes, Goodman attended Northwestern University and the Medill School of Journalism. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism and Master’s Degree in Sports Media, graduating in 2019. At school, Goodman was an anchor and reporter with NNN SportsNight and played on the club baseball team. While at Northwestern, Goodman interned with MLB.com as an associate reporter covering the Miami Marlins. He also interned with ESPN, working as an associate reporter on Mike Greenberg's Get Up. Goodman is from New York City. He grew up in Hell's Kitchen. Follow Goodman on Twitter @MaxTGoodman. You can connect with him via email by reaching out at maxgoodmansports@gmail.com.

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