Cole pitches streaking Yankees past Minnesota 7-1
NEW YORK (AP) — Gerrit Cole struck out Josh Donaldson with the bases loaded to end the fifth inning and got through the sixth throwing shutout ball, and the New York Yankees beat the Minnesota Twins 7-1 Saturday for their season-high ninth straight win.
Giancarlo Stanton had a two-run double during a five-run fifth and Luke Voit remained red hot as the Yankees moved to 21-5 since dropping three of four at Boston in late July.
Bronx-raised Yankees infielder Andrew Velazquez hit his first career homer in the eighth inning, bringing his family in the stands to tears. The 27-year-old journeyman has been staying with his parents since being promoted from Triple-A on July 9.
The series finale scheduled for Sunday was postponed after Saturday's game and rescheduled for Sept. 13 with Hurricane Henri set to hit the area. The Twins will have to interrupt a six-game homestand to return to New York for the makeup game.
Tyler Wade accounted for New York's first two runs by hitting an RBI single off Kenta Maeda (6-5) and scoring on a wild pitch with the bases loaded.
Cole (12-6) dominated in his second start since a bout with a mild symptoms of COVID-19. He allowed five hits and turned in his sixth scoreless outing this season, walking one and striking out six.
“I thought he was really good,” manager Aaron Boone said. “All four pitches were in play for him.”
The right-hander ran into trouble in the fifth by allowing one-out singles to Willians Astudillo and Andrelton Simmons and then a walk to Max Kepler.
After a visit from pitching coach Matt Blake, he punched out Jorge Polanco on a 99 mph fastball, then got Donaldson on a called third strike. Donaldson briefly questioned the call on the low changeup before heading to the dugout.
“I just made good pitches,” Cole said. “I felt as if I was one step behind Kepler and tried to throw him a slide step not really for strikes, see if I could get him to chase. And then tried to get the leverage on Polanco and see if I could dictate the at-bat and once I did that, I got back to Donaldson and I executed some good pitches to him as well.”
Donaldson pushed Cole into an unwanted spotlight earlier this season by calling out the Yankees ace by name when discussing pitchers he suspected of using illicit grip enhancers.
Cole struck out Donaldson twice in an outing days later and did the same Saturday.
“That's kind of the game right there,” Boone said. “It was great to see him just in that big spot execute.”
BLUE JAYS 3, TIGERS 0
TORONTO (AP) — Hyun Jin Ryu cruised through seven innings, Randal Grichuk and Marcus Semien each homered and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Detroit Tigers 3-0 on Saturday.
Detroit slugger Miguel Cabrera went 0 for 3 with a walk to remain at 499 career home runs.
Ryu (12-6) allowed five hits, walked one and struck out five to snap a two-start winless stretch. The left-hander didn't allow a runner past first base until Harold Castro hit a one-out double in the fifth.
Ryu was struck on the lower left leg by Jeimer Candelario's comebacker in the seventh but waved off the trainer and finished the inning.
Tim Mayza pitched a perfect eighth and Jordan Romano wrapped it up for his 11th save in 12 chances as the Blue Jays completed their 12th shutout.
Cabrera struck out swinging for the final out as the Tigers lost for the fifth time in six games.
Cabrera grounded out in the second, then hit into an inning-ending double play in the fourth. He walked to begin the seventh but was erased on a fielder's choice.
Toronto snapped a three-game losing streak and won for the second time in its past eight.
Santiago Espinal hit a two-out single off Tigers right-hander Wily Peralta in the second and Grichuk followed with a first-pitch drive to left, his 21st.
RAYS 8, WHITE SOX 4
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Brandon Lowe, Manuel Margot and Joey Wendle each had two hits and two RBIs, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Chicago White Sox 8-4 on Saturday.
Wander Franco also had two hits and scored twice as Tampa Bay won for the fifth time in six games. The top prospect has reached base in 23 consecutive games.
Luis Patiño (3-3) pitched six innings of two-run ball, and Collin McHugh got five outs for his first career save.
The AL East-leading Rays finished with 11 hits while scoring at least eight runs for the 11th time in 15 games.
José Abreu had two hits for Chicago, which rallied for a 7-5 victory in the opener of the weekend series between AL powers. Eloy Jiménez drove in two runs.
A lucky bounce helped the Rays score three runs in the first inning against Dallas Keuchel (8-7). With two on and two out, Franco hit a ground ball that bounced off third base and over the head of third baseman Yoán Moncada, allowing Nelson Cruz to score from second. Lowe followed with a two-run double.
“I think it was just good luck,” Franco said of his first hit. “That gave us a vibe right away that we had the feeling we were going to win. That's when good things happen.”