Paul Goldschmidt just went absolutely vintage, smashing a solo home run Friday night that didn’t just win the game 1-0, it slammed him right into the Yankees record books. This wasn’t just any bomb; it was the *only* run scored in New York’s gritty victory over the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Talk about making your hits count.
The Old Man and the Blast
Goldschmidt, at a remarkable 38 years and 317 days old, turned on a Jesús Luzardo pitch in the fourth inning and sent that ball 371 feet to right field. Boom! That blast was his 16th of the season, and man, what a way to notch it. The Yankees finished with only three hits all night, but Goldschmidt’s solo shot was all they needed to break the scoreless tie. Seriously, he went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts, but that *one* hit? Pure gold. This dude entered the game batting .255 with 15 home runs and 42 RBIs; now he’s got 16 homers and 43 RBIs, pushing him to 388 career dingers. He’s closing in on 39, and he’s still got that game-changing swing in his bat. What a legend.
That isn’t even the half of it. Goldschmidt’s age and that 1-0 winning homer put him in rarified air. He’s officially the oldest player in Yankees history to homer in a 1-0 victory. Think about that for a second. And get this: he’s the second-oldest MLB player to pull off that specific feat in the last 10 years, behind only the legendary Albert Pujols, who was 42 years and 218 days old when he did it back in 2022. That’s some serious company, right?
Schlittler and The Shutout Crew
While Goldschmidt provided the fireworks, Cam Schlittler made sure that one run was all they needed. This guy delivered one of his best performances of the season, absolutely dealing for 7 1/3 scoreless innings. He allowed only three hits, fanned 12 batters, and didn’t walk a single soul, throwing 68 of his 99 pitches for strikes. Schlittler improved his record to 10-6 and dropped his ERA to a stellar 2.07. What a gem!
The bullpen didn’t mess around either. Schlittler left with two runners on in the eighth, but Brent Headrick came in and shut the door, retiring Trea Turner and Kyle Schwarber. Then, David Bednar stepped up in the ninth and pitched a perfect inning for his 19th save, needing only nine pitches and striking out one. The entire Yankees pitching staff combined for 13 strikeouts, zero walks, and only four hits allowed. That’s just nasty!
The victory bumped the Yankees’ record to 58-45. They picked up their second consecutive win, and they’re still 1.5 games back of the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East. Every W counts when you’re that close. This team needs to keep that momentum rolling, especially with pitching like that.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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