Table of Contents
Gerrit Cole The Yankees got off to another strong start as they opened the second half of the season with a 6-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.
Here are the conclusions…
-Cole continued to improve on his impressive start last week against Baltimore with another solid performance on Friday night against the Rays. The right-hander pitched six innings, allowing one run on six hits and one walk, while striking out eight.
The only setback came in Cole’s final inning, when he allowed a leadoff home run. Brandon Lowe
Otherwise, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, who missed the first two and a half months of the season, is starting to look more like his old self. He hit 97 mph with his fastball and lowered his ERA from 5.40 to 4.60 in his sixth start of the season. The Yankees are going to rely on a healthy Cole for the second half of the season and he has allowed just two runs while striking out 15 in his last 12 innings pitched.
–Antonio Volpe He got off to a much-needed start to the second half of the season with a 2-for-4 night, driving in three runs. All of those came on a single swing of the bat with the bases loaded in the third inning, hitting a two-out double down the left-field line to clear the bases and give the Yankees a 4-0 lead. It was his first game with at least three RBIs since May 7.
–Juan Soto He had a rather unique night at the plate. He finished 4-for-4 with two singles, including a bunt as part of the Yankees’ four-run third inning, a walk and two doubles, one of which turned into a Little League home run. That was in the fourth inning when Soto crushed a fastball off the left-center field wall and came all the way to the plate after a fielding error by Randy Arozarena and a throwing error by the second baseman Richie Palacioswho hit Soto sliding into third base, sending the ball out of play to allow Soto to score and put the Yankees up 5-0.
–Judge Aaron The Yankees slugger, who was the designated hitter Friday night, fouled off his left foot in the fourth inning and was checked by the trainer but appeared to be OK and finished the rest of the game.
–Tommy Kahnle, Jake cousins and Caleb Ferguson combined for three scoreless innings out of the bullpen.
Game MVP: Anthony Volpe
There were certainly some candidates, but Volpe earned the job after delivering the big bases-loaded hit in the third inning, driving in all three runners with a double down the left-field line to put the Yankees up 4-0 as part of a 2-for-4 night for the shortstop.
Reflexes
Whats Next
The Yankees continue their four-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday at Yankee Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
Nestor Cortes (4-8, 3.67 ERA) will be New York’s starter while Taj Bradley (4-4, 2.90 ERA) takes the mound for Tampa Bay.