Despite an imperfect early-game performance, the Yankees did enough to secure a 5-4 lead and hand the ball to closer Devin Williams in the bottom of the ninth inning. But Williams promptly allowed a game-tying home run to Texas Rangers pinch-hitter Joc Pederson, who entered with a .126 batting average.

Devin Williams did not help himself at all after blowing yet another save for the Yankees in an eventual 8-5 loss to the Rangers.

The New York Yankees dropped a gut-punch 8-5 loss to the Texas Rangers on Monday night — a game many fans dubbed the most important of the season. Clinging to t