Yanks fall despite DeGrom’s early exit

Rangers ace Jacob deGrom exited early because of injury concerns for the second time in three starts, though Robbie Grossman hit a two-run homer and doubled twice for Texas in a 5-2 win over the New York Yankees on Friday night at Arlington, Texas.

DeGrom retired his first 10 batters and had a 5-0 lead before he walked Anthony Rizzo with one out in the fourth, then got Gleyber Torres out on a full-count flyball.

DeGrom got ahead 0-2 on Willie Calhoun before a 96.6 mph fastball that sailed outside for a ball. The pitcher reached for his left side, then followed with an 89.4 mph slider. His slowest pitch of the night was outside, and Calhoun lined an opposite-field single to left.

Athletic trainer Jacob Newburn and pitching coach Mike Maddux went to the mound, and Maddux summoned Bruce Bochy and met with the manager in foul territory. Bochy then went to the mound and removed the two-time National League Cy Young Award winner in favor of Dane Dunning (2-0). There was no in-game update on why DeGrom came out of the game.

The Yankees played their first game this season without captain Aaron Judge. The reigning AL MVP had tests on his sore right hip Friday, a day after exiting the series opener midway through the fourth inning because of hip discomfort.

Yankees starter Clarke Schmidt struck out eight in his five innings, but allowed five runs and 10 hits — six of them to left-handed batters, who are hitting .385 against him this year.

Guardians 5, Red Sox 2: At Boston, Shane Bieber won for just the second time in six starts this season, allowing two runs and four hits over seven innings to lead Cleveland.

Bieber (2-1) struck out four and walked two, getting his first victory since April 10. The 2020 AL Cy Young Award winner has made 26 consecutive starts of at least five innings.

Cleveland got back to .500 at 13-13, winning consecutive games for the first time since April 14-15.