Yankees end losing streak at seven games by beating Twins
Yankees designated hitter Ben Rice hits a two-run home run against the Minnesota Twins during the third inning at Yankee Stadium on Friday. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Ben Rice hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the third inning as the Yankees ended their losing streak at seven games with a 5-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Friday night at Yankee Stadium.
In his return from a strained right hamstring, Trent Grisham led off the bottom of the first inning by launching a tying home run into the second deck in rightfield.
“[Ryan McMahon and Grisham] are a big part of this team and, especially when you go through a week where you really struggle, to get some mainstay guys back in your lineup, and then [they] have an impact, is really good,” Aaron Boone said.
Gerrit Cole (3-3) pitched five innings to help the Yankees end their longest slide since a nine-game skid from Aug. 12-22, 2023.
The game was stopped after Cole struck out Brooks Lee to end the top of the third. After a 53-minute rain delay, Grisham singled and Rice snapped a 1-1 tie by hitting rookie starter Mike Paredes’ full-count fastball into the rightfield seats for his 24th homer.
“I think everyone is ready to turn the corner and happy we were able to get a win tonight,” Rice said. “It doesn't feel good to lose games, especially not that many in a row. To come out with just a good, solid team effort today and a good win — it feels good.”
Said Boone, "In what's been a tough week for us, to go out there and play a pretty complete game and to support Gerrit, who was really good through a rain delay? That one feels good."
Jose Caballero added an RBI single in the seventh and scored on Grisham’s sacrifice fly as the Yankees (49-38) scored more than four runs for the first time in 13 games. They remained four games behind the Rays (52-33), who recorded their ninth straight victory. The Yankees will begin a four-game series against Tampa Bay in St. Petersburg on Monday.
Cole allowed two runs and five hits in five innings, walking none and striking out seven. Fernando Cruz retired Royce Lewis on a forceout with the bases loaded to end the eighth. David Bednar returned from the paternity list and struck out the side in the ninth for his 17th save.
Kody Clemens hit a 403-foot home run into the Twins’ bullpen in the first inning and Victor Caratini had an RBI single in the fourth for Minnesota.
The Yankees placed starting pitcher Carlos Rodon on the 15-day injured list with left elbow inflammation and won’t be adding touted pitching prospect Carlos Lagrange to the bullpen anytime soon. The righthander, who was being converted from a starter to a reliever, was diagnosed with a capsular sprain of the right shoulder and will not throw for approximately six weeks. They also optioned outfielder Spencer Jones to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after Friday's game.
Rodon went for an MRI after feeling pain while playing catch Wednesday, and the imaging showed inflammation. He will have a platelet-rich plasma injection and will not throw for a few days or a week.
“It’s kind of like off and on the last couple of weeks," Rodon said. “Just trying to come back throughout the week, it hasn’t been agreeing with me. So the recovery’s been not so great over the last few weeks, but still out there, got to pitch which was great, but this week up it caught up."
“I think he's one of the guys just struggling recovering in between and then finally getting to a point where [he said], let's go get this thing checked out,” Boone said. “Obviously, good news with the ligament, that was encouraging. He's got some inflammation in there and that's going to cost him a little bit of time.”
Rodon is 4-2 with a 3.30 ERA in nine starts since returning from the IL on May 10. He struggled with command in his first three starts and is 4-0 with a 2.97 ERA in his last six outings. The Yankees have not had Rodon, Cole and Max Fried healthy at the same time.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to write about high schools, colleges and baseball following 20 years at the Daily News. A Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2011, he has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Final Fours.
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