New York Yankees 7-5 San Francisco Giants
In the fourth annual Lou Gehrig Day, the New York Yankees, led by Juan Soto’s exceptional performance, secured a 7-5 victory on Sunday night. This win, which gave them their first lead of the game, capped off a successful West Coast swing with a 7-2 record, improving their season to 42-19, the best in the American League.
How it happened
Juan Soto, possibly weary of being on base for Aaron Judge‘s home runs in this series, set the tone early. He hit a 2-2 fastball deep into Oracle Park, a 440-foot shot for his 16th home run of the season.
Yankees hitters entered the game slugging .714 against Blake Snell’s fastball, but after Soto’s homer, Snell, the master of adjustments, switched gears. He started using more curveballs, sliders, and changeups, a strategy that kept the Yankees scoreless for the next three innings.
Nestor Cortes, who had shown great power with his fastball in his last start, struggled to replicate that performance. He used pinpoint control in the first inning to record two strikeouts but lost that command in the second. The Giants capitalized, with Jorge Soler doubling and Casey Schmitt driving him in with a single. After a Tyler Fitzgerald single put runners on the corners, Cortes escaped further damage, but it was only temporary.
In the third inning, Heliot Ramos launched a home run to center field off a 1-2 count fastball, tying the game. Schmitt followed in the fourth with a solo shot, putting the Giants up 3-1. Cortes struggled with control, allowing hits on first-pitch fastballs and failing to put away batters with two strikes.
The Yankees’ offense responded in the fifth. Anthony Volpe extended his on-base streak to 29 games with a single, and Soto followed with a perfectly executed bunt. Giancarlo Stanton walked, loading the bases with two outs for Alex Verdugo. Snell, clearly laboring, left the game with an injury after a 0-1 pitch. Erik Miller took over, but Verdugo adjusted and delivered a double to tie the score at 3-3.
Cortes exited after giving up a single in the fifth, ending his day with three runs on seven hits over 4.1 innings, no walks, and seven strikeouts. Dennis Santana relieved Cortes, finishing the inning and returning for the sixth. Santana allowed two singles, hit Curt Casali (though it appeared to strike the bat), and then gave up a two-run single to Ramos, putting the Giants ahead 5-3.
In the ninth, Doval came on to close for the Giants. Gleyber Torres singled but was out at second on a Jose Trevino grounder. Trevino’s hustle proved crucial as Volpe tripled, scoring Trevino and bringing the Yankees within one.
Soto then stepped up and launched a 98-mph cutter from Doval for a two-run homer, his second of the game, giving the Yankees a 6-5 lead.
The Yankees added insurance when Judge reached base for the fourth time, stole second, and advanced to third on a throwing error before scoring on Stanton’s double, marking Stanton’s 1,500th career hit.
With a display of unwavering determination, closer Clay Holmes retired the side in order in the ninth, securing the Yankees’ 7-5 comeback victory and the sweep.
Roster
Up next
The Yankees will enjoy an off day before hosting the Twins for a three-game series in the Bronx. Luis Gil is scheduled to face Bailey Ober in the opener on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. ET.
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