About Last Afternoon: Yankees 4, Phillies 3

It has been a very frustrating few days for Yankee fans. The Phillies had scored a total of 21 runs in the first two games of the series, and New York needed a win Sunday to avoid the sweep. Given the Yankees' lackluster play this month, Aaron Judge's recent placement on the IL, and Phillies All-Star Zach Wheeler on the mound, it would be understandable if people chose to tune into the Hall of Fame inductions of CC Sabathia and Ichiro Suzuki. A big second inning and a great day at the plate from newly acquired Ryan McMahon propelled the Yankees to a much-needed 4-3 victory. 

Quick Stats - Carlos Rodón - The Yankee hurler had a solid start. While he gave up three runs on four hits and three homers, he only walked one batter and struck out eight over 5.1 innings. 

Ryan McMahon - He went 2-3 with a run scored, a double, and two RBIs.

Otto Kemp - The Phillies' third baseman went 2-4 with a pair of home runs and a couple of Ks.

Devin Williams - A hitless ninth inning got Williams the save. He notched a couple of Ks in the process. 

Player(s) of the Game - McMahon - Making his second appearance since arriving in the Bronx, the Yankees' new third baseman put together a nice game. The Yankees scored all the runs they needed in the second inning, and McMahon was in the middle of it all. 

Notable Performances - The Bullpen - Rodón did well enough to notch the win and picked up a fair amount of Ks, but the bullpen held things down in the stretch. Jonathan Loáisiga finished the sixth inning by giving up a hit; however, Luke Weaver, Tim Hill, and Devin Williams followed with each throwing a hitless inning.  

Better to Forget - Anthony Volpe - The Yankee shortstop went 0-4. In the bottom of the eighth, he had the chance to give the Yankees some insurance after Jasson Dominguez singled and stole second. Unfortunately, Volpe came up empty.

My Take - There hasn't been a ton of good news for Yankee fans lately, but this game was a bright spot. Here are my thoughts:

• A good outing by the bullpen was a nice thing to see. Devin Williams seems to have largely turned the corner from his early-season struggles. In July, Williams has so far held opposing hitters to a .129 average and converted all five save opportunities. 

• I was ambivalent when the Yankees traded for McMahon, but he is off to a good start in Pinstripes and certainly fills a need.

• Giancarlo Stanton had a pair of Ks, but also picked up a hit. He is hitting .295 this month and has 17 RBIs. He is going to need to keep that up if the Yankees are going to be successful while Judge is on the IL.

• With Tampa Bay on deck, the Yankees need to take advantage and protect their spot in the Division. The Rays are currently on a four-game skid and sit at .500. The Yankees are only a game ahead of the Red Sox in the AL East, and their rivals are taking on a struggling Minnesota team. A poor showing against Tampa Bay could really put a damper on the Yankees' season. 

  
  

Next Up - The Yankees will send Cam Schlittler to the mound. The young righty will make his third start. He is currently 1-0 with a 4.35 ERA and 10 Ks over 10.1 innings. Tampa Bay has tapped Drew Rasmussen for the start. July has not been kind to Rasmussen, who is 0-0 with a 4.50 ERA this month. Over three starts, he only lasted a total of eight innings with four runs on nine hits.  First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 pm in the Bronx.