New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
Sanchez homers as Yankees gain in wild card race
NEW YORK — Gary Sanchez rebounded from poor defensive play with a go-ahead home run, four pitchers combined for scoreless relief and the New York Yankees gained in the AL wild-card race with a
4-3 victory over the Texas Rangers on Monday night.
Sanchez put the Yankees ahead in the second inning against rookie A.J. Alexy (2-1) with his 22nd home run.
His play behind the plate contributed to three defeats during New York’s fall from playoff position: Sanchez failed to tag a runner against the Mets despite catching the throw in plenty of time, allowed a pair of ninth-inning wild pitches at Baltimore and missed a foul popup in a seven-run inning by Cleveland.
With a harvest moon rising above Yankee Stadium, New York built a 4-0 lead before the Rangers closed the gap in a threerun fifth against Nestor Cortes.
Chad Green (8-7) retired five straight batters, Clay Holmes and Joely Rodriguez combined for the seventh and eighth, and Aroldis Chapman got three straight outs for his 28th save in 32 chances.
New York moved within a half-game of Toronto for the second AL wild card and with 11 games left is two back of Boston, the league’s wild-card leader. The Yankees had lost 15 of 22 following a 13-game winning streak.
Run-scoring hits by Aaron Judge and Gleyber Torres around Giancarlo Stanton’s sacrifice fly built the lead in a three-run third. Alexy stranded the bases loaded by striking out Brett Gardner.
Cortes pitched shutout ball until the fifth, when Charlie Culberson led off with a home run. Leody Taveras and Isiah KinerFalefa hit consecutive doubles, Green threw a wild pitch that Sanchez hardly moved for, and rookie standout Adolis Garcia hit a sacrifice fly.
Cortes, 0-1 in his last five starts, allowed three runs and five hits in 41⁄3 innings with seven strikeouts.
Alexy, making his third big league start, allowed four runs, four hits and six walks in 31⁄3 innings. The Rangers dropped to 55-95, on track for their first 100loss season since 1973. TRAINER’S ROOM Yankees: RHP Domingo German (right shoulder inflammation) could be activated as soon as Tuesday. Jameson Taillon (right ankle tendon) could throw in a minor league game Wednesday. … RHP Luis Severino (Tommy John surgery) was activated for the first time since 2019 but didn’t pitch.