Yankees back German with 4 HRs

NEW YORK — Domingo German pitched two-hit ball over a career-high seven innings and Giancarlo Stanton hit one of New York’s four home runs Tuesday night in the Yankees’ 7-2 victory against the Seattle Mariners.

Miguel Andujar and Aaron Hicks each belted a two-run shot off Marco Gonzales in the fifth. Hicks homered for the third straight day and finished with three hits from the leadoff spot as the Yankees boosted baseball’s best record to 48-22, moving a season-best 26 games above .500.

Coming off a four-hit game, Stanton sent a solo drive to straightaway center field in the first. Aaron Judge had an RBI single in the seventh, and rookie phenom Gleyber Torres added his 14th home run in the eighth.

The first two batters of the game reached against German (2-4) on a double and an error. The rookie right-hander then retired 19 in a row until Nelson Cruz homered in the seventh.

After beating Tampa Bay for his first major league win last week, German was impressive once again. Commanding a sharp breaking ball all night, he struck out nine and walked none while throwing 67 of 96 pitches for strikes. He has 28 strikeouts in his last three starts, a span of 19 innings.

A.J. Cole tossed two perfect innings with three strikeouts to complete a crisp game that took just 2 hours, 28 minutes.

One of baseball’s biggest surprises so far, the Mariners (46-27) lost for only the eighth time in 30 games as they opened a 10-game trip to the East Coast that should serve as a stiff test. Three games at Yankee Stadium will be followed by three in Boston — the top two teams in the majors.

“The kind of run we’ve been on the last month or six weeks, we’re looking forward to it,” manager Scott Servais said. “The only thing you can do is embrace it. We’re a good ballclub.”

Gonzales (7-4) entered 4-0 with 1.41 ERA in his past six starts but wasn’t up to the task in his first career outing against the Yankees. The left-hander gave up eight hits and a career-high six runs over 6 1/3 innings in his first loss since May 12 at Detroit.

The three home runs off Gonzales matched a career high.

New York improved to a major league-best 27-11 at home — and 17-5 against left-handed starters this season.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mariners: RHP Nick Vincent (strained right groin) threw 14 pitches in a scoreless inning Monday for Double-A Arkansas. He is expected to make one more rehab appearance Wednesday at Arkansas before rejoining the Mariners during their three-game series in Boston.

Yankees: OF Brett Gardner (swollen right knee) could return to the lineup Wednesday, manager Aaron Boone said. … Torres slept funny on his shoulder a few nights ago but said he’s fine, according to Boone, who would like to

Seth Wenig / Associated Press Giancarlo Stanton of the Yankees is greeted by teammates after hitting a solo home run in the first inning of Tuesday night’s game against the Mariners in New York.