NEW YORK– If a casual observer looked solely at the final score of the New York Yankees’ commanding 12-2 victory over the first-place Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night, it would be fair to wonder if either reigning American League MVP Aaron Judge or bona fide slugger Giancarlo Stanton were a part of the series-opening beatdown.
But with both of these veterans sidelined due to injury, it was Ben Rice, Paul Goldschmidt, and Spencer Jones who made the majority of the noise for New York. Each hit a home run, and Yankees manager Aaron Boone was pleased with the team’s approach against Chicago starter Davis Martin.
“Just everyone, really just put together a lot of really good at-bats against him,” Boone told reporters after the win.
The Yankees’ lineup showcased its depth against the White Sox
White Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi launched a solo home run in the top of the first inning off New York starting pitcher Gerrit Cole, but rookie Spencer Jones returned the favor one inning later with a missile that found the right field seats.
“You can visualize what the major leagues are going to be like, but until you’re in there and you see it, the expectation and reality don’t always match up,” Jones said after mashing his first home run at Yankee Stadium.
With the contest tied at one apiece entering the bottom of the third, the Bronx Bombers exploded for 10 runs across the following two frames. Rice and Goldschmidt lifted two-run home runs as part of a six-run fourth inning that knocked Chicago starter Davis Martin out of the ballgame.
Rice’s homer was his 20th of the season. The 27-year-old has now reached that milestone for only the second time in his young career. Meanwhile, Goldschmidt’s blast represented his 10th of the year. The veteran has hit five homers across his last 15 contests.
Jose Caballero put his stamp on the contest when he belted a solo home run off position player Luisangel Acuna to make it 12-2 in the bottom of the eighth. It marked the third time in his career that he’s homered in back-to-back games.
Cole dealt six innings of two-run baseball and struck out six batters. The ace looked sharp in his fifth start back this year and was sure to speak about his command.
“I thought the command got a little bit better as the game went on,” Cole said. “I thought we kept them off-balance and stayed in the strike zone well after getting a lead.”
The win moved the Yankees to a 44-27 record on the campaign. While questions will linger regarding how the roster will hold up while Judge, Stanton, and starter Max Fried slowly work their way back into the fray, the group may boast the proper depth and slug to have their ailing stars return to a club that is still ahead in the AL East chase.
