Yankees’ Cole impresses in return from covid list
NEW YORK — Ten or so days ago, Gerrit Cole was playing catch with his wife, Amy, hoping his body would bounce back from covid-19 quickly enough for him to help the Yankees soon.
Unsure how much he had in the tank, Cole’s first pitch Monday night to Shohei Ohtani was 99 mph. The rest were plenty good, too.
Cole pitched two-hit ball into the sixth inning and struck out nine in his return from the covid-19 injured list, and Joey Gallo hit a two-run homer as New York beat the Los Angeles Angels 2-1.
New York has won 10 of 13 and pulled within two games of Boston for an AL wild-card spot. The Yankees open a three-game series against the Red Sox with a day-night doubleheader today.
Cole (11-6) went 52/3 innings, the only damage against him coming on Justin Upton’s homer in the first. The Yankees’ ace walked just one batter and threw 90 pitches, reaching 100 mph in his first appearance since allowing eight runs to Tampa Bay on July 29.
“I was a bit prepared for if I didn’t know where the balls were going to go,” Cole said. “The plan was just to attack the strike zone in the first and go from there.”
The right-hander tested positive for covid-19 on Aug. 3 and had mild symptoms, but showed no ill effects Monday. He said he felt good while on the mound, though fatigue was catching up to him after the game.
Gallo hit his 29th homer in the first inning against Jose Suarez (56), a drive into the second deck in right field.
Zack Britton, Albert Abreu and Joely Rodriguez got the ball to Chad Green, who closed out the ninth for his fourth save. The bullpen had blown at least one lead in three of New York’s past six games.
RAYS 9, ORIOLES 2
Brett Phillips had an inside-the-park homer, Brandon Lowe went deep twice, and AL East-leading Tampa Bay dealt Baltimore its 12th consecutive loss. Kevin Kiermaier and Mike Brosseau also homered for the Rays, who are 12-1 against the Orioles this season. WHITE SOX 5, ATHLETICS 2
Eloy Jimenez hit a tiebreaking RBI single and Liam Hendriks got the save against his former team, leading Chicago over Oakland. Seby Zavala had two hits and two RBI as Chicago improved to an AL-best 40-22 at home. Luis Robert homered,
and former Arkansas Razorback Dallas Keuchel (8-6) pitched five innings of two-run ball in his first win since July 9.
ROYALS 7, ASTROS 6
Salvador Perez drove in the go-ahead runs with a two-out single in the eighth inning, helping struggling Kansas City to a win over AL West-leading Houston.
TWINS 5, INDIANS 4 (10)
Jorge Polanco doubled with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning to score Max Kepler and give Minnesota a victory over Cleveland, the second consecutive walkoff for the Twins.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
BRAVES 12, MARLINS 2
Freddie Freeman and Adam Duvall homered in a seven-run fourth inning, and Atlanta beat Miami. Freeman also singled twice while Ozzie Albies had three hits and three RBIs for the NL East-leading Braves, who have won four consecutive and 11 of 13. REDS 14, CUBS 5
Jonathan India homered and drove in five runs, Wade Miley threw seven shutout innings and Cincinnati sent Chicago to its 12th consecutive loss. Joey Votto got the 2,000th hit of his career, a solid single in the seventh. Votto came up again later in the inning and drove in a run with another base hit during an eight-run Reds outburst.
ROCKIES 6, PADRES 5
C.J. Cron hit a solo homer in the ninth inning and Colorado handed San Diego its fifth loss in six games. It was Cron’s 20th homer of the season and came with one out off of Daniel Hudson (4-2).