The Yankees kicked things off early before one of the city’s biggest events, the NBA champion Knicks parade.
On Wednesday, the Yankees delivered another impressive performance. Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, both from the Bronx, threw out the first pitch and then enjoyed the game from their suites.
They triumphed over the White Sox, winning 10-5, in front of a crowd of 38,558. This marked the second consecutive night that every starting player recorded at least one hit.
For many fans, Brunson and Hart were the stars whenever they appeared, especially at the start of the night and after the first pitch. Meanwhile, the Yankees (45-27) showcased their strength on the field, claiming their eighth win in the last nine games.
Cody Bellinger, Paul Goldschmidt, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. contributed home runs, giving the Yankees an early edge and helping them scoring 22 runs over the first two games of the series against a strong American League opponent.
“This is the best we can do,” said manager Aaron Boone. “Everyone plays a role. You get meaningful contributions from everyone, and when you win, it creates a great atmosphere. I really appreciate that. We understand challenging moments will come, so we’ll just embrace this and keep it going as much as we can.”
Carlos Rodon struck out seven in five innings, with all damage coming from a single swing—Colson Montgomery’s three-run homer in the third that brought the White Sox (38-34) to within one run, 4-3.
However, in the fifth inning, the Yankees capitalized, scoring five runs, highlighted by Goldschmidt’s three-run homer that ignited the game.
Despite missing former MVPs Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, the Yankees still shine with Bellinger and Goldschmidt performing at a top level.
Goldschmidt, at 38, hit his 11th home run of the season, surpassing his last year’s total (10 in 146 games) in just 47 games, helping the Yankees cope with the absence of Judge and Stanton.
“It was unbelievable,” said Bellinger. “He hit lefties, righties, home runs to all fields, singles, and played great defense. He’s a future Hall of Famer. It was really fun to witness.”
Bellinger continued to shine, coming close to hitting for the cycle multiple times. He’s hitting .304 with a .941 OPS over the last 43 games.
The Yankees improved to 18-6 against left-handed pitchers this season and managed to maintain performance despite significant injuries, missing almost half of their Opening Day roster.
“We’re approaching each day with a winner’s mentality,” Rodon stated. “No excuses here. It’s tough being without G and Jazzy, who bring so much energy at the plate. But it’s great to see everyone stepping up and delivering solid performances.”
After hitting four home runs in a previous win, the Yankees quickly grabbed a 4-0 lead again.
Even after Montgomery’s home run pulled the Sox closer at 4-3, the Yankees sealed the game in the fifth inning, providing Brunson and Hart yet another reason to celebrate.
“That was cool,” Bellinger remarked. “We all followed the NBA Finals and postseason—it was incredible what they achieved. It was really exciting to see them here.”
