The Yankees crushed the White Sox 10-4 in Chicago, extending their winning streak to five games as Cody Bellinger, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Trent Grisham all homered.

The New York Yankees are starting to look like a team built for October, even if their schedule has helped fatten their record.

On Thursday night at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, the Yankees rolled to their fifth straight victory, beating the struggling White Sox 10-4 in the opener of a four-game set.

With the win, New York improved to 74-60, pulling within a half-game of the Boston Red Sox for the top American League wild card and inching four games closer to the idle Toronto Blue Jays for the AL East lead.

The Yankees’ offense once again erupted in a fashion that has become almost routine. Cody Bellinger, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Trent Grisham each went deep, pushing the team’s total to 17 home runs over this five-game streak.

For the twenty-first time this season, New York reached double digits in runs scored, more than any other club in the majors.

“We want to win the division. We don’t just want to get to the wild-card spot,” Chisholm said after circling the bases following his solo shot. “So right now, it’s just like, we’re going to go out there and win that, and then we’re going to go win the World Series.”

It wasn’t all smooth sailing, especially early on. Rookie shortstop Anthony Volpe, who has struggled defensively this season, committed his league-leading 18th error in the second inning.

His miscue set the stage for Chicago’s only real highlight of the night: a game-tying grand slam from Miguel Vargas off Yankees starter Will Warren. Just like that, New York’s 4-0 lead evaporated into a 4-4 tie.

“I hate that I give up the grand slam and it’s back to a 0-0 game,” Warren admitted. “But Judgey came over and was like, ‘Hey, we’re going to put up runs.’ I trust that we’re going to do that, and we have the capability of putting up 10 every night.”

Aaron Judge may not have homered in this one, but he was still in the middle of key rallies. In the fifth inning, Judge chopped a ball to third baseman Curtis Mead, who threw wide to first, colliding with Vargas and allowing Ben Rice to score.

Vargas fell to the dirt clutching his hand, while Judge later scored on a Chisholm sacrifice fly to put New York ahead for good.

From there, Bellinger doubled, Grisham launched his fourth homer in five games, and the Yankees put the contest out of reach with steady pressure against a White Sox team that looked sloppy all night.

Chicago committed three errors, continuing the pattern of a season that has been defined by missteps and missed opportunities.

For the Yankees, the bats carried the day, but the bullpen quietly shined as well. After Warren battled through five innings, relievers Fernando Cruz, Luke Weaver, Devin Williams and Mark Leiter Jr. combined to retire all twelve batters they faced, striking out seven.

Manager Aaron Boone, who has seen his club’s relief corps stumble at times this year, praised the clean effort.

“That’s the kind of shutdown we need late in games,” Boone said. “Our lineup can score, but we have to trust that when we hand it over to the pen, it’s going to lock it down.”

Volpe, trying to recover from a brutal 1-for-37 skid at the plate, at least showed signs of life despite his defensive lapse. The 23-year-old went 2-for-3 with a sacrifice fly, a stolen base and a run scored.

For a team that already has plenty of power in Judge, Bellinger, Chisholm and Giancarlo Stanton, Volpe’s resurgence would add length to the lineup heading into September.

“It’s frustrating when I make a mistake that costs us runs,” Volpe said. “But I just try to get back in the box and contribute. Tonight I felt better, and hopefully I can keep that going.”

The Yankees’ current surge comes at an opportune time. A soft spot in the schedule—first the Nationals, now the White Sox—has allowed them to build momentum before what Boone called a “two-week gantlet” against contenders.

That stretch will include critical matchups with the division-leading Blue Jays and the ever-dangerous Red Sox, who have been in lockstep with New York in the wild-card race.

Last October, the Yankees fell short in the World Series, a runner-up finish that still lingers in the clubhouse. “We’re never satisfied with second place or third place,” Chisholm emphasized. “That’s not what this franchise is about. The expectation is a championship.”

Cody Bellinger, who signed with New York after a resurgence season with the Cubs, has been one of the most consistent bats down the stretch. His two-run homer in the first set the tone, and his double in the fifth helped keep the inning alive.

“We’re playing good baseball,” Bellinger said. “Talented team, and we’re putting together quality at-bats, getting guys on base and getting big knocks and homers. It’s fun, so we just got to keep it rolling.”

For the White Sox, meanwhile, Thursday’s game was a reminder of just how far they have fallen. With a record of 48-86, only the Colorado Rockies own a worse mark in the majors.

Chicago’s defensive miscues and lack of execution have made them easy prey for opponents, and the rebuild ahead looks steep. Once a franchise with high expectations in the early 2020s, the Sox are now an afterthought, reduced to playing spoiler.

Even their promising young pitcher, Cam Boozer, who entered the game late, couldn’t escape damage, surrendering a towering blast to Grisham that all but sealed the result.

The Yankees, however, aren’t worrying about their opponent’s woes. They see only opportunity. With Judge healthy, Chisholm emerging as a star, and the lineup clicking, New York has rediscovered its swagger.

The arms may still be a question—whether Warren can hold a postseason rotation spot is uncertain—but the formula is clear: hit hard, play loose, and lean on the bullpen when it matters.

As the night ended, the Yankees gathered in the dugout, smiling and bumping fists. They know tougher days are ahead, but for now, Chicago is just another stop on a late-summer surge.

“It’s about building momentum,” Judge said quietly before leaving the clubhouse. “This time of year, every win counts, and every win feels good. We’ve got to keep it going.”

With three more games against the White Sox before heading into September’s crucible, New York’s mission is simple: stack wins, stay hot, and chase down the Blue Jays.

For a team that hasn’t forgotten the sting of last year’s near-miss, the fire seems to be burning hotter than ever.