Yankees score 7 runs off Yu Darvish in third inning leading to 10-7 victory over Padres
NEW YORK — The offense was alive and well on Sunday for the Yankees, logging 12 hits in a 10-7 victory over the San Diego Padres.
Aaron Boone’s club will now head to Seattle for a three-game set after securing a series win over the Padres.
Ace Gerrit Cole was on the mound for the Bronx Bombers and started the day giving up a homer to Jake Cronenworth in the first inning. Cole also allowed a two-run blast to ex-Yankee Rougned Odor in the seventh. It would’ve been Odor’s second home run of the game, but Aaron Judge robbed the former Yankee in right field during the second inning.
The homers marked Cole’s second straight start allowing two homers and his eighth home run allowed in the last five appearances.
Judge answered right back in the bottom of the first with his 15th home run of the season against Padres’ starter Yu Darvish. It started a rough day for the right-hander, who came into the game with a 3.67 ERA and a career 1.64 ERA in six appearances against the Yankees.
Darvish’s day ended after allowing seven hits, seven earned runs, and striking out just two batters in 2.2 innings of work. His ERA now sits at 4.61
The Yankees blew the game up in the third, hitting around in the order and scoring seven total runs along with eight hits in the frame. While down 3-1, Anthony Volpe’s RBI single scored Kyle Higashioka. Anthony Rizzo and Judge followed with RBI singles to take the lead, 4-3.
The Padres weren’t able to get its first out of the frame until outfielder Trent Grisham robbed a three-run homer from DJ LeMahieu. Harrison Bader’s fielder’s choice added another run and Willie Calhoun knocked Darvish out of the game after an RBI double.
A couple RBI hits from Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Higashioka made the score 8-3 and provided a comfortable cushion with Cole on the mound.
But before Yankee fans enjoyed an entertaining bottom of the third, they had to suffer through some ugly defense in the second.
Padres left fielder Jose Azocar, who was a late addition to the lineup after Juan Soto was scratched due to back tightness, scored a Little League home run. Azocar singled to center and Bader attempted to throw out the speedy Ha-Seong Kim at home. Kim easily scored as Bader sailed the ball over home plate and Cole wasn’t backing up Higashioka.
Higashioka then retrieved the ball and fired an errant throw into left field attempting to get Azocar at third, who would’ve easily been called out with a decent throw.
Azocar then scored, much to the delight of the Padres dugout. The away dugout didn’t have much to cheer after that, as Cole retired the next 10 batters. Cole exited the game after Odor’s homer and was replaced by Jimmy Cordero.
The right-hander allowed four hits, six runs (five earned), three walks and struck out nine batters in six innings of work.
Azocar did some more damage after Kim was able to score on a fielder’s choice in the seventh, shortening the Yankees’ lead to 8-6.
But it wasn’t enough for the underachieving Padres (24-29), who continue to disappoint. The team currently sits in fourth place in the NL West.
In the eighth, Bader’s solo shot and Higashioka’s RBI single gave the Yanks two insurance runs.
Rizzo left Sunday’s game after the sixth inning with an apparent injury after colliding with Fernando Tatis Jr. on a pick-off attempt. It wasn’t clear where Rizzo was hurt, but he threw down his glove as he went down in pain.
