The Yankees went off script as the co-stars did the heavy lifting offensively while the defense shined in a 5-2 win over the Washington Nationals in the first of three in D.C. at Nationals Park Monday night.
Juan Soto, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, who hit back-to-back-to-back home runs on Sunday, were a combined 1 for 13. The Yankees were 0 for 5 with RISP and left 8 men on base but the 6-9 hitters (Anthony Volpe, Jazz Chisholm Jr, D.J. LeMahieu and Alex Verdugo) picked up the slack and were a combined 8 for 14 with a home run, three runs scored and three runs batted in.
“That’s ultimately what makes a really good offense is when you have length in the lineup,” Manager Aaron Boone said.
Volpe and Verdugo had three hits apiece, Chisholm hit a solo home run and LeMahieu drove in two with a pair of sacrifice flies.
Nestor Cortes did not have his best stuff and was able to grind his way into the seventh inning thanks to the Yankees defense, which also co-starred in this show. “Made pitches when he needed to. Couple of times when he got into situations, was able to reach back a little bit,” Boone said.
Cortes (6 2/3 IP, 1 run on four hits with five strikeouts) benefitted from a pair of spectacular catches in the outfield and a pick off throw at second base from catcher Austin Wells (who also homered) to snuff out a potential rally. “I don’t think I go as long as in the game as I did if it wasn’t for those amazing catches that were made out there,” Cortes said.
The Yankees, who were 15-20 against left handed starters coming into the game, went up against Nationals rookie southpaw Mitch Parker.
Gleyber Torres, who has thrived since being moved back to the top of the order, got things going early as he led off the game with his 12th home run. Torres extended his hitting streak to six straight games where he’s gone 9 for 23 (.391) with two home runs, six runs scored and five runs batted in. Since moving to the lead off spot (10 games), Torres is 12 for 38 (.316) and he’s also in the midst of a 21-game on base streak.
You didn’t need to see any exit velocity numbers to know the Nats were getting good hacks against Cortes, but the Yankees glove work in the outfield was superb.
Former Yankee farm hand Andres Chaparro led off the home second with a double to the gap in right center field. The next batter, Keibert Ruiz hit a deep drive to left field, but Verdugo got a great jump on the ball and made the catch with his back to the infield as he slammed into the wall. The Yankee left fielder appeared to injure his knee but he stayed in the game. For some reason, Chaparro was not able to tag up and go to third.
With two out, Jose Tena drove a ball to the deepest part of the ballpark in dead center field, but Judge was there to haul it in on the warning track and keep Washington off the board.
The Yankees took a 2-0 lead in the fourth.
Volpe lined a 2-0 pitch off the wall in center field for a lead off double. Chisholm flied to right as Volpe tagged and took third where he scored on the first of LeMahieu’s two sac flies.
The defensive play of the game came in the home half of the fourth.
Dylan Crews, the Nats’ #1 prospect who was making his Major League debut led off with a walk but James Wood grounded to third and forced Crews at second. Chaparro then hit a deep drive to left center field that looked like it could leave the ballpark for a two run home run, but Judge went back to the wall and used all of his 6’7” frame to jump up and make the play. Wood had rounded second and then stumbled a bit trying to get back to first. Judge made a perfect throw to Torres who threw to LeMahieu at first to complete an outstanding inning ending double play.
“I thought we had a chance, hung up there just enough,” Judge said. “Just trying to go out there and make a play, I think Doogie [Verdugo] really set the tone earlier by basically running through another wall. As a teammate, you gotta go out there and match that energy.”
Judge continues to produce jaw dropping moments, whether he’s at bat or in the field. “Tonight, they keep him in the ballpark, he [Judge] takes one back from the other side,” Boone said. “It’s just a little reminder of how many other things he does well.”
In the fifth, Chisholm was charged with two errors on the same play to allow Juan Yepez to reach second base with one out. Cortes struck out Jose Tena for the second out and with Ildemaro Vargas at the plate, Wells fired the ball to second. Yepez was called safe but it appeared Torres did tag him. The Yankees won the challenge and the call was overturned to end the inning.
Wells was the first batter in the sixth and he drove a 1-1 pitch from Nats reliever Tanner Rainey into the stands in right center field for his 10th home run to give the Yankees a 3-0 lead.
Volpe followed with a single to center and alertly took second when Nats center fielder Jacob Young bobbled the ball. Volpe slid in head first and slammed into the knee of Nationals shortstop C.J. Abrams but, after being checked out, he stayed in the game.
After Chisholm fouled out, Volpe stole third and scored on LeMahieu’s second sacrifice fly of the game to make it 4-0.
Cortes came into the game with a 14-inning scoreless streak that was in jeopardy in the sixth.
A single by Vargas and a double by Young put runners on second and third with no one out, but Cortes used his guile and experience to wiggle out of the jam.
First, the Yankee left hander struck out Abrams and Crews. After walking Wood, Boone came to the mound but left Cortes in to face Chaparro, who had two good swings in his first two at bats. Cortes fired a 94 MPH fast ball past Chaparro to end the inning and was pumped as he left the mound.
“With Chaparro hitting the ball hard off me today twice, I knew he was danger but was able to execute down and away real well in that at bat,” said Cortes, who won his third straight decision.
The scoreless streak came to an end when Yepez homered with one out in the seventh to get Washington on the board. Cortes retired Tena on a ground out to first and his night was done as he was replaced by Mark Leiter Jr.
With Nats left Joe La Sorsa on the mound, Chisholm hit a hanging slider into the Nationals bullpen in right field to give the Yankees a 5-1 lead. It was Chisholm’s 21st home run of the season and his first since he came off the IL over the weekend.
Young homered off Leiter to lead off the eighth to make it 5-2. After Abrams grounded out, Jake Cousins relieved and got the final two outs of the eighth.
Judge did not hit a home run but he did reach a milestone. In the ninth, Judge got the only hit from the big three, a line single to right that just so happened to be his 1000th career hit.
Clay Holmes pitched a stress free ninth to pick up his 28th save as the Yankees (78-54) have won five of six, 18 of their last 27 and are a Major League best 42-25 on the road.
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