The Yankees absolutely exploded for five runs in the first inning on Friday night, blowing past the Diamondbacks with a dominant 9-2 victory in Arizona. This win, coupled with a Rays loss earlier in the evening, pulls New York within 4.0 games of Tampa Bay for first place in the AL East. What a night!
Offensive Fireworks Light Up Arizona Sky
Talk about making a statement right out of the gate! The Yankees got to Diamondbacks pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez early and often. They loaded the bases with no outs,a walk, a single, then another walk. Ben Rice dug in and worked his way back from a 1-2 count to draw a walk, forcing in the first run of the game. Amed Rosario, playing third base, then dropped a bloop single that drove in another score. Spencer Jones struck out, but the party wasn’t over. A passed ball allowed Heliot Ramos to sprint home from third, adding to the tally. Then, rookie George Lombard Jr. stepped up and crushed a two-run single, capping off a massive five-run first inning and giving the Yankees a commanding 5-0 lead. That’s how you start a game!
Cole Deals After Early Wobbles, Rice Smashes No. 39
What a bounceback performance from Gerrit Cole! After allowing seven home runs in his last two starts, the ace came out and pitched a shutdown 12-pitch first inning, getting huge support from that five-run cushion. Sure, the longball still got him in the second when Corbin Carroll launched a two-run shot, putting Arizona on the board. But that was it. Cole was locked in, giving up just those two runs on four hits, no walks, and striking out six over six strong innings. That’s the Gerrit Cole we know! The offense wasn’t done either. Ben Rice absolutely crushed his 39th home run of the season, a 390-foot shot over the left-center field wall off Rodriguez in the third. That’s his fifth homer in his last 22 games, and he finished 2-for-3 with the blast and a triple. George Lombard Jr. joined the home run parade, launching a solo shot in the sixth that knocked Rodriguez out of the game. The Yankees even tacked on two more in the seventh off Zac Gallen, making his first career relief appearance after a rough 2026, thanks to an error and a failed double-play attempt.
Bullpen Holds, Outfield Under The Microscope
The bullpen came in and closed it out cleanly. Ryan Yarbrough worked out of some trouble in the seventh, allowing two hits but holding strong. Michael Fulmer and Luis Gil (who also navigated an inning with two baserunners) then combined to get the final nine outs. With Aaron Judge on the IL for the foreseeable future, the rest of the Yankees outfield’s production is definitely under the microscope. Cody Bellinger (1-for-5), Spencer Jones (0-for-4 with an RBI), and Heliot Ramos (0-for-2 with two walks) combined for a meager 1-for-11. Jones, in particular, is struggling, going hitless again with two more strikeouts, bringing his total to nine Ks in his last four games. Gerrit Cole was the Game MVP, and it’s easy to see why. The Yankees and their right-hander absolutely needed this start to instill confidence that Cole is still *that* guy. Plus, it gave the bullpen a much-needed rest after a brutal 13-inning game on Wednesday. If this offense keeps mashing and Cole keeps dealing, the race for the top spot in the AL East is going to be a battle to the wire.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply