Yankees 9, Astros 6
HOUSTON -- Mark Teixeira delivered a two-run double in the eighth inning and Chase Headley added some insurance with a solo home run in the ninth as the New York Yankees recovered from blowing a six-run lead for a 9-6 victory over the Houston Astros on Saturday at Minute Maid Park.
The Astros (43-34) were left smarting after a replay review upheld a close call at second base that enabled Yankees center fielder Brett Gardner to remain in scoring position after Astros second baseman Jose Altuve appeared to make a clean catch on a force play.
Teixeira followed two batters later with his double against Astros right-hander Pat Neshek (3-1), scoring Gardner and left fielder Chris Young for an 8-6 lead.
Headley's eighth homer of the season, off Astros left-hander Tony Sipp, gave closer Dellin Betances a three-run lead that he preserved as the Yankees (41-34) guaranteed a split of the four-game series.
Things unraveled for Astros left-hander Brett Oberholtzer quickly, with Gardner, Young and designated hitter Alex Rodriguez reaching in succession in the first inning before Oberholtzer managed to get an out.
The walks to Young and Rodriguez set the stage for Yankees catcher Brian McCann to approach his at-bat aggressively. Two pitches in, McCann drilled a 1-0 changeup into the upper deck in right field for a grand slam and a 4-0 Yankees lead.
Oberholtzer walked one additional batter in the inning and then came undone in the second.
After Gardner doubled for a second time in as many at-bats, Young followed with a two-run homer to left field, his 10th home run of the season, for a 6-0 lead.
Oberholtzer then threw wildly and inside at Rodriguez and was immediately ejected by plate umpire Rob Drake.
On the brink of collapse, the Astros turned to demoted starter Roberto Hernandez, who delivered 3 2/3 scoreless innings.
Houston began clawing back against Yankees right-hander Masahiro Tanaka in the bottom of the second, with right fielder Domingo Santana and first baseman Chris Carter producing back-to-back doubles and center fielder George Springer snapping an 0-for-17 skid with an RBI single that scored Carter and cut the Yankees' lead to 6-2.
After Carter added a solo home run in the fourth, the Astros shelled Tanaka in the fifth, with shortstop Carlos Correa and Altuve smoking back-to-back home runs that pulled the Astros even. Springer scored ahead of Correa's fifth homer of the season, an opposite-field shot to right, before Altuve added his sixth homer to left field.
Tanaka gave up three home runs in a start for the second time in as many appearances. He surrendered six runs, seven hits and two walks with five strikeouts in five innings.
NOTES: Yankees OF Jacoby Ellsbury participated in running drills before the game on Saturday and will do so again on Sunday as he takes aim on reinstatement from the 15-day disabled list. Ellsbury was placed on the DL on May 20 because of a right knee sprain. If Ellsbury experiences no complications, he could depart for a rehab assignment next week. ... Astros CF Colby Rasmus was a late scratch because of a skin infection. George Springer moved from right field to replace Rasmus, while OF Domingo Santana was added to the lineup and manned right field. ... Yankees LF Chris Young made his ninth start of the season hitting second in the batting order, partially due to his success against left-handers and also because he entered the game riding a nine-game hitting streak. Young opened Saturday batting .379/.438/.682 against southpaws this season and .471/.486/.735 during his hitting streak.