Yankees Secure Victory Over Diamondbacks in Absence of Aaron Judge
New York clinches a crucial win as Gerrit Cole delivers a strong performance and the offense ignites early.
PHOENIX — The New York Yankees demonstrated resilience on Friday night, securing a 9-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks despite the continued absence of star player Aaron Judge. The win was bolstered by an explosive five-run first inning and a solid start from pitcher Gerrit Cole.
News emerged earlier in the day that Judge had been placed on the injured list with a right calf strain, raising concerns about his availability for the postseason. However, the Yankees, now 89-64, managed to narrow the gap to four games behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the division race with nine games remaining. They also maintained a 5 ½ game lead over the Boston Red Sox for the top American League wild card spot.
Gerrit Cole, who had struggled with home runs in his previous two starts, limited the damage against the Diamondbacks. He pitched six innings, allowing only two runs, both on a Corbin Carroll two-run homer in the second inning. Despite opponents hitting his fastball hard recently, Cole managed to minimize the scoring and regain his form, striking out six batters and issuing no walks while scattering four hits.
The Yankees established an early lead against Diamondbacks' left-hander Eduardo Rodríguez, who threw 45 pitches in the first inning. The first five batters reached base, with walks from Paul Goldschmidt and Heliot Ramos, singles from Cody Bellinger and Amed Rosario, and a walk from Ben Rice. George Lombard Jr. then drove in two runs with a single up the middle, extending the Yankees' lead.
Ben Rice further contributed to the offense with a solo home run in the third inning, his 39th of the season. Lombard Jr. added another home run in the sixth inning, increasing the lead to 7-2. The Yankees added two more runs in the seventh, aided by two Diamondbacks errors. The bullpen, with contributions from Ryan Yarbrough, Michael Fulmer, and Luis Gil, closed out the game over the final three innings.
Manager Aaron Boone had expressed confidence in Cole's ability to start in a potential wild-card series, and Cole's performance on Friday appeared to validate that belief. The Yankees are likely on track to face the Red Sox in the AL wild-card series, barring a significant collapse in the final stretch of the regular season.