Blackburn entered the contest in the bottom of the eighth inning after New York took a one-run lead in the top of the frame. The veteran righty retired the side in order on 17 pitches, and manager Aaron Boone elected to stick with Blackburn for the bottom of the ninth after the Yankees tacked on an insurance run in the top of the frame. Blackburn was even more effective in his final inning, needing just four pitches to set the side down in order again. The save was the first of the campaign for the hurler, who has primarily worked in middle relief this season. His opportunity to close Sunday was due to David Bednar being deployed each of the previous two days and throwing 38 total pitches during that span. With that in mind, fantasy managers need not consider Blackburn off the waiver wire as a source of additional saves.

Blackburn served as opener for the Yankees on Thursday in a bullpen game, serving up a solo home run to the red-hot Junior Caminero in the first inning. However, the three punchouts were a season high for the 30-year-old right-hander, who has made 29 relief appearances as opposed to a pair of brief starts this year. Blackburn hasn't offered much fantasy viability but has been an effective member of New York's pitching staff, posting a 2.31 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 35:15 K:BB over 46.2 innings.