Just when it felt like the Yankees were spiraling, they found a way to breathe again. With a series sweep by the Angels hanging over their heads and the pressure to perform reaching its peak, the Bronx Bombers stepped up. A seven-game skid loomed, but they dodged disaster in a game riddled with tension, tight calls, and umpiring decisions that nearly pushed them over the edge.

When every inning feels like survival, the last thing you want is the umpire working against you. Cody Bellinger would second that take.

Even though the Angels took the series 3-1, that didn’t matter much to the Yankees. All they wanted was to break free from the slump that had dragged them down. Heading into the game, that was their only focus. And with back-to-back homers, they clinched a 7-3 win over the Angels.

Still, the game didn’t come without its share of controversy. Umpiring decisions took center stage, and not even Cody Bellinger could escape them. He was called out at second at the end of the seventh inning, a call that stood even after review. Bellinger didn’t hide his disbelief after the win. “I thought I was safe. There was one angle where I, during the time, you know, it’s close. So, tough to really say. I thought I was safe at first,” he told the media.

It was a borderline call; every angle showed just how tight it was. Even though he couldn’t stretch the play into a double, he did secure Grisham at first base. Bellinger’s RBI single gave the Yankees a 5–3 lead in the seventh. And guess what? Three of the team’s 12 hits came from him.

Bellinger’s call wasn’t the only moment that left the Yankees frustrated. Earlier, when Carlos Rodón pitched to Jo Adell in the fourth inning, Adell appeared to check his swing and miss. He started walking to the dugout, assuming it was a strike. But to everyone’s surprise, first-base umpire Bill Miller ruled him safe.

Rodón couldn’t stomach the call, and he wasn’t alone. Even the Yankees manager Boone was visibly furious in the dugout. He was seen yelling from the dugout, but the decision remained the same. And Rodón’s wife, Ashley, even took to X to register her frustration.

Ashley tried to confirm what she had just seen happen. “Did he go around?” she posted, referring to Adell’s swing. When users responded confirming her doubt, she followed up with a simple: “🫠🫠🫠,” posting a picture of Adell swinging.

It was a justified reaction. That call might’ve changed things for Rodón. Nevertheless, he performed better compared to his rocky outings against the Red Sox. The starting pitcher allowed a season-high three home runs- one even to Adell- but he also struck out seven.

Both Rodón and Bellinger had no choice but to accept the umpiring calls and move on. At the end of the day, what mattered most was the win. And Bellinger had hoped for exactly that.

Cody Bellinger’s hopes pay off, but can the Yankees keep going?

For the first time since 2016, the Yankees were shut out in three consecutive games last week. And as the team stared down a bleak stretch, it became inevitable that the players had to step up. The former MVPs in the team were visibly frustrated with the losing streak, and Bellinger opened up about the team’s concerning state.

“We had good talks,” the left fielder told NJ.com’s Randy Miller. “It’s a little rut we’re in and we’ve got to get out of it. The good teams get out of it. I’ve got full confidence in the guys in here. We have such a talented team,” he added.

Well, they’ve managed to get out of the slump, at least for now. But the team still has bigger cracks to mend. The Yankees are still leading the AL East with a 43–31 record, but they can’t afford to overlook their recent struggles against the Red Sox and Angels. Yes, this 7-3 win stopped the slide, but the real question is: can they keep this going? Well, they have to.  The Tampa Bay Rays are closing in—just two games behind.