Toronto Star
· collected 2026-09-25 · by Larry Fleisher The Associated Press
In a crucial game against the Tampa Bay Rays, rookie Yankees shortstop George Lombard Jr. made an acrobatic slide to score from third base in the seventh inning, helping his team overcome a 4-0 deficit and win 6-4 on Thursday night. Lombard also hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the eighth inning as part of his recent hot streak since September 14, during which he has raised his batting average to .310 with four homers and 11 RBIs over ten games.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-25,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
NEW YORK (AP) — George Lombard Jr. raced home from third as a pitch went to the backstop and caromed back to catcher Liam Hicks, who dove in attempt to tag the runner.
asserted
who → race → runner
Lombard started his trickery with a stutter step and wound up scoring on a slide that will long be replayed.
asserted
that → start → slide
The rookie popped on his feet-first slide and jumped over the catcher while twisting his body in fair territory.
asserted
rookie → pop → territory
Lombard reached down his his right hand on the plate, pulled the Yankees within a run in the seventh inning as they rallied to beat the Tampa Bay Rays 6-4 Thursday night.
asserted
they → reach → Rays
“I think that’s my first time ever doing that one in a game,” Lombard said “I was in trouble, had to figure something out and it just of happened.”
asserted
it → think → something
“I saw him with the ball running towards the plate and I was like, ‘Oh I’m out.’
asserted
I → see → plate
So I got to make something up,’” he added.
asserted
he → got → something
After Austin Wells’ sixth-inning homer started the comeback from a 4-0 deficit, Lombard hit an RBI double in the three-run seventh against the AL East champions.
asserted
Lombard → start → champions
Then in the eighth, Lombard hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer into the second deck in left field.
asserted
Lombard → hit → field
After his RBI double over left fielder Chandler Simpson pulled the Yankees to 4-2, Lombard took third on when a 101 mph pitch with a 1-1 count to Anthony Volpe hit off Hicks’ mitt.
asserted
pitch → pull → mitt
A 3-1 curveball broke outside, hit off the mitt and then ricocheted off the backstop back to the catcher.
asserted
curveball → break → catcher
Lombard sprinted home.
asserted
Lombard → sprint → ?
“I saw him sliding, so I went to slide to get the plate,” Hicks said.
asserted
Hicks → see → plate
“He just made a good move.
asserted
He → make → move
Once you’re on your stomach blocking the plate, there’s really nothing I could have done.
uncertain
I → ’re → plate
Since his debut on Aug. 4, the 21-year-old Lombard is hitting .243 with seven homers and 22 RBIs.
asserted
Lombard → hit → homers
A son of former major leaguer George Lombard, he’s become the starting shortstop,
asserted
he → become → Lombard
“My first thought was the ricochet, ‘Oh no,’” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.
asserted
Boone → say → ?
Lombard’s average dropped to .217 before a hot streak since Sept. 14 in which he’s hit .310 (13 for 42) with four homers, 11 RBIs over 10 games.
asserted
he → drop → games
“He’s been great,” Cam Schlittler said.
asserted
Schlittler → say → ?
“He’s a stud.
asserted
He → ’ → ?
It’s a lot of pressure on you being a shortstop for the Yankees, so I think he’s handled it very well.”
asserted
he → ’ → it
Schlittler finishes with 1.95 ERA and 239 strikeouts
Lined up to start in next week’s AL Wild Card Series, Schlittler pitched three innings and finished his first full season with a 1.95 ERA and 239 strikeouts.
asserted
Schlittler → finish → ERA
Only Ron Guidry (1.74 in 1978) and Spud Chandler (1.64 in 1943) finished with lower ERAs among qualified Yankees.
asserted
Guidry → finish → Yankees
“You look at the whole season and what I’ve been able to accomplish with the guys in this locker room, it’s been special,” Schlittler said.
asserted
Schlittler → look → room
The tall right-hander also struck out five to tie Jack Chesbro for the fourth-most strikeouts in team history.
asserted
hander → strike → history
Chesbro had 239 in 1904 when he won 41 games.
asserted
he → have → games
Gerrit Cole (257 strikeouts in 2022 and 243 strikeouts in 2021) and Guidry (248 in 1978) had higher totals.
asserted
Cole → have → totals
Schlittler also allowed one earned run or fewer in his final nine starts, matching Whitey Ford in 1963 for the longest streak in team history.
“I think any season
asserted
I → allow → history
, it’s impressive, but
asserted
it → ’ → ?
for his first full season in the big leagues, to be able to handle it, it’s a big workload for him,” Wells said.
asserted
Wells → handle → him
“To pass all the innings he’s ever thrown in his career so still being able to do it, still being able to go out there and give us length, it’s impressive.”
asserted
it → pass → length
An AL Cy Young Award favorite, Schlittler struck out 12 over eight innings in a 4-0 win against Boston in Game 3 of last year’s Wild Card Series.
asserted
Schlittler → strike → Series
“Who wouldn’t want to start the first game?” Schlittler said.
asserted
Schlittler → want → game
“We’re all competitors.
asserted
We → ’re → ?
So at the end of the day, whatever Boonie decides, that’s what we’re going to roll with.”
asserted
we → decide → what
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