TAMPA – Yankees Hit Nine Home Runs in Dominant Victory
So, it seems like we’re diving into yet another conversation about the power of the Yankees’ bats. And, well, their latest performance certainly adds fuel to that fire.
If you missed it, they hit a staggering nine home runs recently. Yes, you read that right.
This marks the second time this season that they’ve really unleashed their power at the plate. In a recent game, they blasted seven homers in just the first four innings, tying a franchise record during a 13-3 romp over the Rays at Steinbrenner Field.
Names like Giancarlo Stanton, Cody Bellinger, and Jose Caballero stood out, each contributing two homers as the Yankees logged a total of 3,419 feet in homers. Impressive, right?
On the standings front, the Yankees (now 68-57) seized the first AL wildcard, especially as the Red Sox and Mariners stumbled. This also pushed them to second place in the AL East for the first time since August 1st.
At their spring training ground, it almost felt like they were toying with the Rays’ pitchers, who seemed less like seasoned professionals and more like minor leaguers. They faced righty Shane Baz and lefties Ian Seymour and Mason Montgomery, who didn’t stand a chance.
After a lengthy rain delay of almost two hours, the Yankees quickly got to work. They launched back-to-back home runs in the first inning.
As noted by Katy Sharp from Stasa Head, the Yankees have joined the ranks of the 2024 Dodgers and the 1982 Brewers—only teams to hit back-to-back home runs three or more times in a season.
Previously this season, they showcased similar power against the Brewers on March 29th and against the Orioles on April 29th. Aaron Judge was part of all three instances, while Bellinger featured in two of them.
Speaking of Judge, his monumental 429-foot homer was his 40th of the season, marking the fourth season he’s reached that milestone. This puts him among Yankees legends like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Mickey Mantle.
Stanton returned to right field after a few games off due to lower body pain. He came back strong, hitting 13 home runs over his last 29 games.
Bellinger had a standout game, racking up four hits, with two of those being his 23rd and 24th home runs. His second homer helped push the score to 12-2 in the sixth inning.
Not long after, Caballero celebrated his first homer with the Yankees, hitting it in the second inning. Following a warm video tribute from his former team, Caballero sent one into right field, making it 5-0. He later capped the game with a solo shot in the ninth inning.
Stanton’s second homer was a three-run blast in the fourth, extending their lead to 9-2. Rice later made it 10-2. Rice’s standout performance included catching for Austin Wells, contributing significantly with 19 home runs this season.
This power display was highly supportive of Carlos Rodon, who managed six innings while allowing just two runs, battling the humidity effectively.
