“I definitely think that was a release of some joy and some frustration" - Josh Donaldson answers his critics with a walk-off grand slam; New York Yankees register a much-needed win

The New York Yankees, and Josh Donaldson in particular, have had a tough run of late. The team is suffering through its worst stretch in years, and the players and manager are under heavy pressure. The Yankees had lost 11 of their previous 13 games entering Wednesday night's contest. They were in desperate need of a win.

Down 4-7 to the Tampa Bay Rays in the bottom of the 10th inning, the team was in need of a hero. That hero emerged from the most unlikely of places. Josh Donaldson, who is having arguably his worst season in a decade, stepped up with the bases loaded to hit a walk-off grand slam home run. It was a memorable moment for the three-time All-Star.

"I definitely think there was some release of some joy and some frustration over the past couple of weeks for sure," said Donaldson.

Donaldson has faced a barrage of criticism over the past few weeks. Touching home plate must have felt like a combination of relief, joy, and vindication for the Yankees third baseman.

"Walk-Off. Grand Slam" - New York Yankees

The Yankees looked dead and buried after Francisco Mejia drove in three runs for the Rays in the top of the 10th. The 42,512 fans in attendance looked closer to 10,000 by this point. Many fans saw the result as a foregone conclusion and chose to leave early.

Josh Donaldson has faced heavy criticism from the fans and media since his move to the New York Yankees

Josh Donaldson reacts after an at-bat against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium.

To understand the full impact of this home run was, it's important to set the stage.

Entering the game, the Yankees were 15-24 since the beginning of July and 2-8 in their last 10 games. They had lost five straight series for the first time since 2005. The Houston Astros had surpassed them for first place in the American League. The Toronto Blue Jays and Rays were within striking distance in the AL East.

Donaldson himself was in terrible form entering the bottom half inning. In his last eight games, he was only 3-28 at the plate. In that period, he did not record a single, home run, RBI, or run. It is almost unheard of for an ex-MVP to have a run of form this bad.

"Josh Donaldson played the hero tonight against the Rays! He became just the third New York Yankee Yankee all-time with a walk-off grand slam when trailing by three runs." - YES Network

As soon as he made contact, Donaldson knew that this one was going the distance. His flamboyant bat-flip was just the icing on the cake. This home run, at the critical stage of the game, took a lot of the pressure off his shoulders.

Donaldson now has 12 home runs and 47 RBIs on the season. He will hope that this game can be a turning point for him.

"This exchange says 1,000 words" - Talkin Yanks

The New York Yankees restored their 10-game lead in the AL East with an 8-7 victory. Josh Donaldson and his teammates showed real emotion in their celebrations after this comeback win. At the end of the game, we can see Donaldson hugging Gleyber Torres and mouthing, "We are back." The New York Yankees are back.