Cole sharp in return from COVID-19, Yanks top Angels
NEW YORK » Gerrit Cole pitched two-hit ball into the sixth inning and struck out nine in his return from the COVID-19 injured list, Joey Gallo hit a two-run homer and the New York Yankees beat the Los Angeles Angels 2-1 Monday night.
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 Tuesday.
Cole (11-6) went 5 2/3 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.
The right-hander tested positive for COVID-19 on Aug. 3 and had mild symptoms. He showed ill effects Monday.
Gallo hit his 29th homer in the first inning against José Suarez (5-6), a drive into the second deck in right field. Gallo has four homers with New York since being acquired July 29 from Texas.
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.
Shohei Ohtani was 0 for 4 after homering three times in three games at Yankee Stadium during the Angels’ previous visit.
The Angels were forced into an unusual travel schedule for this makeup game from a July 1 rainout. Los Angeles beat Houston at home Sunday afternoon, landed in New York early Monday morning and planned to leave straight for Detroit on Monday night to start a three-game set Tuesday.
The July 1 rainout came a day after the low point of New York’s season, when All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman gave up a tying grand slam to Los Angeles’ Jared Walsh in the ninth inning of a stunning 11-8 Angels win.
The Yankees are 25-13 since.
ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. » Brett Phillips had an inside-thepark homer, Brandon Lowe went deep twice, and the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays handed the Baltimore Orioles their 12th consecutive loss, 9-2 on Monday night.
Baltimore has been outscored 113-36 during the skid. The Orioles dropped 14 in a row from May 18-31.
Kevin Kiermaier and Mike Brosseau also homered for the Rays, who are 12-1 against the Orioles this season. Tampa Bay has outscored Baltimore 103-51, and has had nine runs or more in eight of the games.
Josh Fleming (10-6) followed opener Collin McHugh and gave up two runs and six hits over 5 2/3 innings.
McHugh struck out one over two perfect innings. He has not allowed an earned run in 16 consecutive appearances, spanning a team-record 32 straight innings.
Phillips sent a leadoff drive in the sixth off Paul Fry to the left-center field wall that bounded past
center fielder Cedric Mullins and was retrieved by left fielder D.J.Stewart. The speedster ended his dash around the bases with a head-first drive to beat a relay throw at the plate.
The announced crowd for the opener of a seven-game homestand for the Rays was just 5,460.
Lowe hit his second homer of the game and career-high 28th, a two-run shot off Fry later in the sixth to put the Rays ahead 8-1.