Lombard's incredible slide, tiebreaking homer lift Yanks over Rays. Schlitter finishes with 1.95 ERA

NEW YORK (AP) — Rookie George Lombard Jr. scored on an incredible slide and followed with a tiebreaking. two-run homer as Cam Schlitter finished his season with an AL-best 1.95 ERA in the New York Yankees' 6-4 comeback win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday night.

Lombard, who debuted on Aug. 4, had three RBIs for the Yankees (92-67), who overcame a 4-0 deficit. He hit an RBI double in the seventh, jumped over catcher Liam Hicks to score in the eighth and followed with his fourth homer in seven games.

Austin Wells started New York’s comeback with a sixth-inning homer off Jake Woodford and Lombard cut the deficit to 4-2 in the three-run seventh.

He took third on Brady Hopkins' wild pitch and scored when another pitch bounced to the backstop. As the ball caromed back to Hicks, Lombard popped up well in front of the plate on his feet-first slide and jumped over the catcher while twisting his body in fair territory and reaching down to slap his right hand on the plate.

Paul Goldschmidt followed with a single that tied the score 4-4.

Lombard hit his seventh home run of the season in the eighth, driving a sinker from Steven Matz (5-6) into the left field second deck. Lombard briefly watched the ball soar into the seats before starting his home run trot.

Making his final start before the AL Wild Card Series next week, Schlitter allowed two runs — one earned — in three innings. The 25-year-old right-hander went 14-6 and struck out 239 over 193 2/3 innings in his first full major league season. He finished with the Yankees' third-lowest ERA for a qualified pitcher behind Spud Chandler’s 1.64 ERA in 1943 and Ron Guidry’s 1.74 ERA in 1978, according to the team.

Tampa Bay (96-63), which clinched the AL East on Tuesday, built a 4-0 lead as Junior Caminero drove in two runs to raise his RBIs total to 99. The Rays got a pair of unearned runs, helped by errors from right fielder Heliot Ramos and reliever Luis Gil.

Bradley Hanner (1-0) retired Caminero with a runner on to end the eighth and stranded a runner in the ninth for his first major league win.

Rays: RHP Freddy Peralta (9-11, 4.56, ERA) faces LHP Cristopher Sánchez (18-6, 2.92) in the opener of a three-game series in Philadelphia Friday night.

Yankees: Rookie RHP Brendan Beck (0-1, 8.22) opposes Baltimore LHP Trevor Rogers (10-11, 4.07) in Game 1 of a single-admission doubleheader on Friday. The Yankees did not announce who will oppose RHP Brandon Young (9-5, 3.62) in the second game.

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

New York Yankees pitcher Bradley Hanner (93) celebrates with George Lombard Jr., right, after their team defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Mason Englert reacts after giving up a solo home run to New York Yankees' George Lombard Jr. during the third inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

New York Yankees' George Lombard Jr. hits a two-run home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

New York Yankees' George Lombard Jr. avoids a tag from Tampa Bay Rays catcher Liam Hicks to score a run during the seventh inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

New York Yankees' George Lombard Jr. avoids a tag from Tampa Bay Rays catcher Liam Hicks to score a run during the seventh inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The Green Bay Packers knew they’d have their hands full early in the season with their offense missing Josh Jacobs and their defense lacking Micah Parsons.

But they couldn’t have expected their home opener to go this miserably.

With a makeshift offensive line struggling to give Jordan Love time to throw or to create running room for Jacobs’ backups, the Packers were embarrassed by the previously winless Atlanta Falcons, losing 35-14 on Thursday night.

The Packers (1-2) were booed by the Lambeau Field crowd for much of the second half, and they find themselves at a potential crossroads before the end of September.

This wasn’t what team president/CEO Ed Policy had in mind when he signed coach Matt LaFleur and general manager Brian Gutekunst to contract extensions even after the Packers ended the 2025 season with five straight losses, including a wild-card playoff loss at Chicago in which they blew a 21-3 lead.

Green Bay has made three straight postseason appearances but looked nothing like a potential playoff team Thursday.

The losses of Parsons and Jacobs certainly hurt.

Parsons will miss at least one more game as he continues his recovery from a torn ACL that ended his 2025 All-Pro season early.

Jacobs was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list after he pleaded no contest two weeks ago to misdemeanor charges of battery and criminal damage to property stemming from a May altercation with his then-girlfriend.

Meanwhile, injuries on the offensive line are hurting the Packers.

Green Bay played without two of its starting linemen after left guard Aaron Banks hurt his toe and right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele tore his patellar tendon in a 20-17 overtime victory over the New York Jets on Sunday. Bako-Bewele, who is Green Bay’s best lineman when healthy, won’t play again this season.

There are other issues as well.

The Packers have lacked discipline. They committed an NFL-high 26 penalties through the first two weeks. They led 7-0 on Thursday when Brenton Cox Jr. was called for roughing the passer on a third-down incompletion. Instead of punting, Atlanta scored a tying touchdown on that series and took control shortly thereafter.

One strength for Green Bay the first two weeks of the season was defending the run. The Packers had been allowing 2.9 yards per carry, the second-lowest average in the league.

That changed Thursday.

Atlanta outrushed Green Bay 242 yards to 17 and averaged 5.9 yards per carry. Bijan Robinson led the way with 194 yards and two touchdowns.

Jacobs' absence leaves the Packers relying on MarShawn Lloyd and Kaleb Johnson to lead their rushing attack. Each had four carries Thursday, with Lloyd gaining 11 yards and Johnson 6.

They were running in place for much of the night. And LaFleur will have to find a way to get them moving if he wants to salvage Green Bay's season.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

A Green Bay Packers fan reacts during the second half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons in Green Bay, Wis., Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Green Bay Packers fans react during the second half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons in Green Bay, Wis., Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur walks off the field after an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons in Green Bay, Wis., Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Green Bay Packers' Jordan Love walks off the field after an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons in Green Bay, Wis., Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)