Austin Wells makes MLB history in Yankees' blowout win

New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Austin Wells makes MLB history in Yankees' blowout win over Red Sox

By Andrew Wright | Last updated Aug 30, 2026 6:37 PM ET

Sunday's game between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees had major postseason implications. The winner of Sunday's game would win the season series 7-6 and secure the tiebreaker for home-field advantage in the wild-card round.

It was ultimately the Yankees that cruised to a 16-1 win that was fueled by a history-making performance from catcher Austin Wells in the eighth inning.

Austin Wells homered twice in the eighth inning

Wells put the game on ice with a two-run home run that extended the Yankees' lead to 9-1, but he wasn't done there. Later in the inning, with a position player on the mound, Wells launched his second home run of the inning, another two-run home run that extended the lead to 16-1 in favor of New York.

Wells joined Kyle Schwarber and Yordan Alvarez as the only players in the majors to accomplish the feat this season, and he became the first Yankees player to do so since Gleyber Torres in 2022.

While the two home runs in one inning are impressive, Wells made MLB history in the process of doing so.

Austin Wells and Paul Goldschmidt go back-to-back as the @Yankees put up 10 in the Bronx! pic.twitter.com/l1DMIVGcWE
— MLB (@MLB) August 30, 2026

AUSTIN WELLS HAS TWO HOME RUNS IN ONE INNING https://t.co/E1pHmVmJv4 pic.twitter.com/o1lHoUhyJ6
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) August 30, 2026

Austin Wells accomplished the feat as a pinch hitter

Wells was not in the starting lineup of Sunday's game, as Yankees manager Aaron Boone opted for the right-handed-hitting Ali Sanchez against a left-handed pitcher.

Wells came on in the sixth inning to pinch-hit for Sanchez against a righty, leading to him being in the game for the two at-bats in the eighth inning.

As far as records show, Wells is the first player in MLB history to have a two-homer inning on a day when that player wasn't in the starting lineup.

Could Sunday be the start of a hot stretch for Wells?

Any given day could be the moment an MLB player feels locked in at the plate, and that could very well be what Sunday's two-homer performance could be for Wells.

Wells has struggled in a major way this season, slashing just .184/.277/.316 across 282 at-bats. He has, though, been better of late with a .257 average and three home runs in August.

Sunday may be what Wells needed to spark a hot stretch in the final month of the regular season headed into October.

Andrew Wright

Andrew "Dew" Wright graduated from Charleston Southern University with a degree in Communication Studies. He is a lifelong Chicago Cubs and Washington Commanders fan.

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