Yankees fall 9-7 to Astros after Headrick's rare rough outing
A late surge by the Astros erased three Yankees leads, as reliever Brent Headrick gave up three runs in the eighth to seal a 9-7 defeat in the Bronx.
In a back-and-forth contest at Yankee Stadium, the Yankees built three distinct leads over the Astros, only to see them vanish after Brent Headrick entered with a 6-5 advantage in the top of the eighth. Headrick allowed three runs, including a two-run single by Jeremy Peña and a triple from Yordan Alvarez, giving Houston an 8-6 edge. The Astros added another run on a single by Isaac Paredes, completing a 9-7 victory.
New York's offense was buoyed by Luis García Jr.'s two-run homer and Cody Bellinger's three-run blast, but the bullpen's recent instability persisted, with earlier starters Will Warren and Fernando Cruz also failing to protect leads. The loss kept the Yankees from gaining ground on the Rays, who remain 3½ games ahead in the division, while the Astros stayed in the playoff hunt after a recent front-office change. The defeat also came as the Red Sox prepared to face the Yankees later in the week, narrowing the gap between the two rivals.
Why it matters
The loss highlights the Yankees' bullpen struggles and keeps them trailing in the tight AL East race.
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