Juan Soto's clutch home run propels Yankees past Rays, 5-3
The Yankees' offense was silent for six innings before exploding for five runs in the seventh, led by Juan Soto's three-run shot to give the Yankees a 5-3 win.
Here are the takeaways...
-Juan Soto delivered his first big moment in the Bronx on Friday night. After the offense struggled all game, the Yankees finally got something going and took the lead on an Anthony Volpe single, which Soto followed with a mammoth three-run blast into the second deck, just inside the foul pole. The Yankees slugger was fired up, shouting toward the dugout and pumping his fist as he made his way toward first base.
Soto is fitting in just fine in pinstripes, with five home runs, 20 RBI and a slash line of .347/468/.600 and 1.068 OPS this season.
-Anthony Volpe also had a big hit and needed it badly, too. The Yankees shortstop was stuck in an 0-for-14 slump before his seventh-inning single that drove in Jose Trevino and gave the Bronx Bombers a 2-1 lead and setting up Soto’s homer.
-Clarke Schmidt did everything the Yankees could have asked for on Friday night, holding the Rays to just one run over 5.2 innings pitched, striking out seven while allowing seven hits.
The lone blemish came in the sixth inning when Schmidt left a cutter over the middle of the plate to Richie Palacios, who crushed it over the right field wall.
Schmidt found himself in trouble in the first two innings but managed to escape both threats, particularly a big jam in the second when he had runners on first and third with nobody out.
But Schmidt followed by striking out Curtis Mead then, after Amed Rosario swiped second base, he got Jose Caballero to swing at a curveball just off the plate and former Yankee Ben Rortvedt to look at a 3-2 sinker that caught the inside corner to end the threat.
-Soto’s three-run homer proved to be crucial insurance as both Ian Hamilton and Clay Holmes struggled out of the bullpen. Hamilton immediately let the Rays back into the game in the eighth inning, allowing a walk and three hits – all hard line drives – as Tampa narrowed the deficit to 5-3.
Holmes walked a tightrope in the ninth, surrendering three singles to start the inning, although the Yankees caught a break on the third as it was a shallow pop and managed to get a force out at third base. He managed to secure the save with a game-ending double play after Palacios lined out to Volpe who doubled up Jose Siri at second.
-The Yankees could not get anything going offensively against Rays starter Tyler Alexander. The southpaw tossed 5.1 scoreless innings in the Bronx, allowing just three baserunners on two hits and a walk while striking out four.
The only two hits off Alexander came from the Yankees’ No. 8 and No. 9 hitters, Trevino and Oswaldo Cabrera.
Game MVP: Juan Soto
Who else would it be? Soto's three-run shot proved to be the difference and he made a leaping catch up against the right field wall in the third inning to take away a possible extra-base hit.
Highlights
What's next...
The Yankees continue their three-game series against the Rays on Saturday at Yankees Stadium. The team will honor longtime radio play-by-play announcer John Sterling prior to the game during an on-field ceremony at 12:30 p.m..
Left-hander Nestor Cortes (1-1, 4.50 ERA) will get the start for Saturday's 1:05 p.m. first pitch while the Rays will send RHP Zach Eflin (1-2, 4.63 ERA) to the mound.
