PHOENIX — Gerrit Cole gave the Yankees exactly the kind of night they needed at Chase Field: six innings of steadier work, a quick recovery from two rough starts and a 9-2 win over Arizona on Friday.
With Aaron Judge headed for the injured list because of a right calf strain, the Yankees leaned on an early offensive burst and Cole’s reset on the mound. New York improved to 89-64, won for the 11th time in 15 games and moved within four games of Tampa Bay in the American League East.
Quick facts
- Cole allowed two runs on four hits over six innings, with no walks and six strikeouts.
- He threw 90 pitches, 62 for strikes, after permitting seven homers across his previous two outings.
- New York scored five first-inning runs against Arizona left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez.
- Ben Rice hit his club-leading 39th home run.
- George Lombard Jr. drove in three runs, including a two-run single and a sixth-inning homer.
- Cole earned career win No. 162, the most by a former No. 1 overall MLB Draft selection.
Cole had yielded a leadoff homer in each of his last two starts, stirring outside concern as the postseason nears. Aaron Boone had already indicated that the right-hander is in line for a Wild Card Series start should the Yankees get there, and Cole answered with a cleaner first inning, retiring Arizona in order on 12 pitches.
The veteran said he spent time after his previous start against the Mets examining his delivery and whether opponents were picking up anything in his mechanics. His focus was on locating more consistently, staying compact and maintaining his posture over his legs.
“We didn’t do everything perfectly, but we pushed things in the right direction,” Cole said. “There is still more there to clean up. It isn’t easy, but it has to be done. This is the big leagues.”
Corbin Carroll got to Cole for a two-run homer on a misplaced four-seam fastball, but Arizona did not do further damage. Boone said the concern around Cole’s recent home-run trouble had been overstated, noting that even elite starters endure difficult patches over a full season.
“He’s had an excellent year and he’s pitching very well,” Boone said. “A great pitcher like that can make adjustments.”
The Yankees made Rodriguez work immediately. The first five New York hitters reached safely and all five crossed the plate in the opening inning. Rice drew a bases-loaded walk, Amed Rosario delivered an RBI single, and Lombard lined a two-run single.
Lombard added a homer in the sixth to end Rodriguez’s night. The rookie finished with three RBIs and said the lineup put together quality at-bats from the opening pitch against a tough opposing starter.
Rice’s homer was his 39th of the season, matching a springtime prediction from Boone. Rice said the manager had knowingly set the target just short of what the first baseman might have preferred, a little clubhouse needling that carried into the late season.
The bigger concern remains Judge, the three-time AL MVP who could be out for the remainder of the regular season. Cody Bellinger said earlier Friday that the club would need to rely on one another, and Rice acknowledged the loss is difficult after Judge had already missed significant time this year.
“It’s a tough one for us,” Rice said. “We were without him for a long stretch before, so this is especially hard. But we have no option except continuing to play hard and keep doing what we do.”
New York entered the game averaging 5.1 runs with Judge in the lineup and 4.2 without him. Friday’s five-run first was a reminder that the Yankees can still land an early punch, but their October hopes may rest most heavily on the rotation.
Cam Schlittler, the leading American League Cy Young candidate, is lined up for a possible Wild Card Series Game 1. Max Fried and Carlos Rodón have also been throwing well, and Cole’s outing added another experienced arm to the club’s postseason picture.
Cole’s 162nd victory moved him past Mike Moore for the most wins by a pitcher taken first overall in the Draft. David Price, selected first by Tampa Bay in 2007, stands third with 157.
For Cole, the response after Judge’s injury carried as much meaning as the individual milestone. “We’ve dealt with this situation before this season,” he said. “That is unfortunately where we are. We came out with the right mindset and played good baseball. That can work, no matter who is in the lineup.”
