Yankees 3-2 Angels: Yankees cruise to series win No. 7

New York Yankees 3-2 Los Angeles Angels

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Carlos Rodón dissected the Los Angeles Angels lineup with clinical efficiency while Devin Williams navigated a harrowing ninth inning, as the New York Yankees captured a nail-biting 3-2 victory Tuesday evening at Angel Stadium, stretching their series winning streak to seven and maintaining a scorching May pace.

The triumph, fueled by solo homers from Ben Rice and Oswald Peraza plus an RBI single from Anthony Volpe, elevated the Yankees to their fourth consecutive win, eighth in nine games, and 15th in 19 contests, expanding their AL East lead to seven games over Tampa Bay.

Rodón Delivers Masterful Performance Against Angels

Carlos Rodón (7-3) reached peak form once again, matching his season high with 10 strikeouts through seven shutout innings. He dispersed just five hits without issuing a walk and retired nine of his final 10 batters. His command and composure were evident as he concluded his evening with a 105th-pitch strikeout of Chris Taylor, freezing him with a precisely located fastball at the knees.

Rodón now paces all qualified MLB starters with a .164 opponents’ batting average, a statistic highlighting the southpaw’s dominance and emerging Cy Young credentials.

Manager Aaron Boone expressed confidence in Rodón’s consistency, noting that every time the pitcher takes the mound, the team expects victory.

Williams Navigates Ninth-Inning Crisis to Preserve Series

Following Rodón’s handoff of a 3-0 advantage, the Yankees relied on Devin Williams, who hadn’t secured a save in over a month and had previously been removed from closing duties due to early-season difficulties.

Williams immediately surrendered a leadoff birthday homer to Yoán Moncada, then allowed two consecutive singles, placing runners at the corners with one out. The Angels managed a second run via Jo Adell’s groundout, but Williams induced a foul popup from pinch-hitter Logan O’Hoppe to conclude the contest and record his fifth save — his first since April 17.

Williams acknowledged the rough inning but expressed satisfaction with completing the task, hoping it represents progress toward regaining his rhythm.

Rice, Peraza Provide Offensive Spark in Pitchers’ Duel

Rookie backstop Ben Rice initiated the scoring with a solo blast off Tyler Anderson (2-2), his 11th homer this season, during the third inning. Oswald Peraza contributed another solo shot in the seventh, his second homer in three games, and now stands 3-for-9 with three extra-base hits over the past week — providing valuable production from the lineup’s bottom.

In the sixth, Volpe drove home Aaron Judge with a two-out single following a defensive miscue by Moncada that extended the inning. The hit proved to be the deciding run.

Key Moment & Stat

Rodón’s final pitch of the night — a 95 mph fastball at the strike zone’s bottom — froze Chris Taylor with a runner at second, maintaining a 3-0 lead and concluding his outing triumphantly. The strikeout followed a tense at-bat and left the Angels stranded in another scoring opportunity.

Oswald Peraza has discovered his offensive rhythm. After managing just two extra-base hits in 6.5 weeks, he now boasts three in his previous five games, displaying improved timing and more aggressive approaches.

Yankees roster

Up Next

Wednesday, May 28 — Angel Stadium, Anaheim

Yankees starter: RHP Clarke Schmidt (1-2, 4.58 ERA)

Angels starter: LHP Yusei Kikuchi (1-4, 3.17 ERA)

First pitch: 9:38 p.m. ET

The Yankees pursue a series sweep behind Clarke Schmidt, who has shown improvement in recent starts, while the Angels send Yusei Kikuchi to the mound seeking to end their skid.

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