The New York Yankees demonstrate their offensive prowess before a crucial four-game series against the Boston Red Sox. Giancarlo Stanton hit a two-run homer as a pinch hitter in the top of the tenth inning, followed by Austin Wells’ second home run of the night, securing a Yankees victory over the Rays with a score of 6-4 at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida, on Wednesday night. The Yankees finished with five home runs on the night and a total of 14 in the series, tying a major league record for the most home runs in a two-game series. The previous record was held by the Cincinnati Reds in 1999. Trent Grisham hit his fifth home run as the leadoff hitter of the season, tying for the second-most in the last 20 seasons for a Yankees player, and then added his second of the night in the eighth inning. Along with Wells’ two home runs, this was the first time in Yankees history that multiple players hit multiple home runs in consecutive games. Stanton, Cody Bellinger, and Jose Caballero also hit two home runs each in New York’s 13-3 victory over the Rays the night before. In total, the Yankees have scored 19 runs in the last two games, all from home runs. This is the most consecutive runs scored by home runs since 2020. The Wednesday’s show of force came after a solid performance by rookie Cam Schlittler. In his seventh start in the Major Leagues, Schlittler held the Rays scoreless and allowed only one hit in 6⅔ innings, the most in his career. His bid for a perfect game ended when Chandler Simpson singled at the start of the seventh inning. Schlittler conceded two walks after the hit, but escaped with help from reliever Luke Weaver. Schlittler struck out eight batters, all via strikeout. It was the longest perfect game attempt by a Yankees rookie since Fritz Peterson pitched 6 1/3 innings against the White Sox on July 4, 1966.
New York improved to 69-57 after its first extra-inning road win in seven tries this season. They are 4.5 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays, leaders of the American League East, and 1.5 games behind the Red Sox, who are in third place and will visit Yankee Stadium for the start of a four-game series on Thursday night.What a performance! Dominant. Probably the best breaking pitch he’s had all year, along with the fastball. He was filling the strike zone.
Aaron Boone
