Giancarlo Stanton hit a tiebreaking three-run homer to cap a five-run third inning and tied a season best with four RBIs as the New York Yankees recorded a 7-2 victory over the visiting Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday night to avoid a three-game sweep.
Rookie Anthony Volpe hit a tying two-run homer off Shane McClanahan (11-2), his 14th long ball, to start New York’s big inning. Following base hits by Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Gleyber Torres, Stanton socked his 15th homer.
Stanton added an RBI single in the seventh for the Yankees, who collected 13 hits. New York scored its final run on a double steal as Torres came home in the seventh.
Yankees starter Gerrit Cole (10-2) settled down after a shaky beginning and allowed two runs on four hits in seven innings. Cole struck out eight, walked two and reached double-digit victories for the ninth time in his 11-year career.
Cole opened the contest by walking Yandy Diaz. Wander Franco followed by sending a 1-0 fastball into a suite overlooking the second deck in right field for his 14th homer.
Cole also had help from Kiner-Falefa’s arm in left field.
Kiner-Falefa got a pair of outfield assists by throwing out Rene Pinto and Manuel Margot trying to stretch singles in the second and fifth innings, respectively.
The Yankees sent eight to the plate in the third.
Harrison Bader doubled and went to third on a passed ball. Volpe then sent a 2-2 pitch over the right field fence for a 2-2 tie. Stanton put the Yankees ahead with a drive to the right-center-field seats next to the New York bullpen.
Stanton came through a day after after striking out as a pinch hitter on a 98 mph fastball against Rays closer Pete Fairbanks with two on to end a 5-2 loss.
The Yankees improved to 2-4 since Aaron Judge came off the injured list Friday. New York also won for the eighth time in 22 games, while Tampa Bay lost for just the second time in six games.
Judge went 1-for-4 on Wednesday.
McClanahan allowed five runs and five hits in four innings. He fanned three without issuing a walk. The left-hander is 0-1 with a 7.36 ERA in his past six starts.
–Field Level Media