The Yankees' bullpen allowed six runs in a 9-7 loss to the Astros on Tuesday night, marking what one outlet called a rare meltdown for a pitching staff that has been a team strength this season. The loss came despite Cody Bellinger hitting a three-run home run—his first since mid-June—that had briefly given New York the lead.
Yainer Diaz homered twice for Houston, while Yordan Alvarez contributed a tiebreaking RBI triple with two outs in the eighth inning. The back-and-forth contest was the Astros' first game under new management, per one Astros-focused outlet.
The Yankees' offense had struggled for an extended stretch before Tuesday, though the team managed to stay competitive thanks largely to its pitching. That advantage proved insufficient against Houston's offensive output in the series opener.