Yankees Continue Strong Streak with Big Win Over Astros

HOUSTON — On Friday night, the Yankees secured their seventh consecutive victory, defeating the Astros 12-4 at Daikin Park, fueled by four home runs.

Yet, I couldn’t help but wonder if their luck would hold out. The atmosphere shifted when Giancarlo Stanton exited the game during the sixth inning due to a right calf strain, casting a shadow over the Yankees’ solid start this season. Fans were left anxious, hoping to hear more about Stanton’s condition the following day, though he wasn’t scheduled for evaluations right away.

Despite this setback, the Yankees, now 17-9, amassed 13 hits against the Astros’ pitchers, maintaining their winning streak. Jazz Chisholm Jr., Ryan McMahon, Ben Rice, and Jose Caballero all homered, with Chisholm standing out by recorded a season-high three hits, finally shaking off a slow start to his season.

“They say hitting is contagious, but when everyone is doing it, it just feels right,” Chisholm remarked.

In addition, Rice, Caballero, and JC Escala, celebrating a birthday, all enjoyed multiple hits, with every starter reaching base at least once.

Chisholm, after a 23-game home run drought, launched a homer in back-to-back games, finishing the night 3-for-4 with four RBIs and a walk. He credited a slight adjustment in his stance after the previous game against the Red Sox for his recent improvement.

“I feel like I’m back to myself,” said Chisholm. The only downside of the night was a questionable call during the ninth inning that might cost him a $1,000 fine.

The Yankees traveled nearly 2,000 miles after Thursday’s game, stepping up to face a tough Astros team with a powerful offense, especially compared to their recent opponents, the Red Sox and Royals.

Will Warren stepped up to the challenge, pitching six innings and allowing only two earned runs. He has now kept his earned runs to two or fewer in all six starts this season, giving the Yankees a solid foundation while they dominated the Astros.

“When they score like that, it doesn’t phase me at all,” Warren said, reflecting on his performance. “You just have to go out there and let your team back you up.”

The Yankees’ pitching rotation has been key during this stretch, allowing only four runs (three earned) over the last 35 innings.

Before Warren even took the mound, the offense had already given them a 3-0 lead, taking advantage of a Jose Altuve error and scoring the first run. Chisholm then delivered a two-run homer off Lance McCullers Jr.

McMahon, who hadn’t played in the previous three games due to facing left-handed pitchers, made his return and quickly made an impact by hitting his second home run of the year, then adding an RBI hit during the game.

With the game even at 5-2 after five innings, the Yankees exploded against lefty Colton Gordon in the later innings, pushing their lead to 12-2.

“I thought the team showed great patience,” Coach Aaron Boone commented. “McCullers kept us on our toes, but we ultimately had a lot of strong at-bats and significant contributions across the board. Just a good night overall.”