Another powerful offensive showing by the New York Yankees made Gerrit Cole’s inaugural start at Yankee Stadium all the sweeter in the Yankees 6-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies tonight, giving the bombers baseball’s best record of 8-1 and putting the team on what’s now a seven game win streak.
Cole finished his eagerly anticipated first night in pinstripes with a solid six innings where he allowed five hits, just one run, and four strikeouts.
He stays undefeated on the year, earning his third win as a New York Yankee.
Although outfielder Aaron Judge wasn’t able to extend his home run streak into a sixth straight game, the Yankees lineup managed three home runs independent of number 99.
Still, Judge remained a force at the plate tonight with both a single, double, and scoring a run himself.
The Yankees attacked early on as second baseman DJ LeMahieu sent a leadoff, first inning home run into the right field seats off Phillies starter, Jake Arrieta.
Machine Crush Monday. pic.twitter.com/64LyWxyDcD
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 3, 2020
Though, it was a short lived lead as Cole surrendered a solo shot to designated hitter Jay Bruce in the third inning.
The empire would strike right back with yet another solo home run in the bottom of that inning, this one coming from a rare, opposite field shot to left by left fielder Brett Gardner.
Yeah they call me Gardy, B. pic.twitter.com/nkKLh9PwH7
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 3, 2020
Fellow outfielder Aaron Hicks stretched out the Yankee lead to 3-1 with an RBI double in the fourth inning, scoring right fielder Aaron Judge from second base.
A-Aron adds one ☝️ pic.twitter.com/ofr2aaZQ79
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 4, 2020
Third baseman Gio Urshela really brought it home, putting one in the Phillies bullpen against righty Deolis Guerra, doubling the Yankees lead in the sixth inning to 6-1.
Sorry. Got 2 Gio. pic.twitter.com/x6H3sTehrz
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 4, 2020
Just after Gio poured, mother nature did likewise with a thunderstorm that delayed tonight’s game about an hour and concluding the home debut of Cole through an even six innings pitched.
Brooks Kriske came in to pitch the seventh on a rain soaked mound where he struggled by walking two and letting up an RBI to centerfielder Adam Haseley, making it a 6-2 ballgame.
Chad Green was then tasked with getting through of the one out jam, which he did by setting down two Phillies back-to-back.
Luis Avilán entered for the eighth inning, where he struck out both right fielder Bryce Harper and Bruce while also letting up an RBI single to third baseman Jean Segura, cutting the Yankees lead to 6-3.
It was up to Zach Britton to close out the ninth, which he did with no trouble.
Tonight’s game also featured the return of longtime Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius, short tenured outfielder Andrew McCutchen, and former manager and 2009 World Series Champion, Joe Girardi.
The Yankees improve to that league best 8-1 while the Phillies drop to 1-3, playing less games due to concerns over COVID-19.
The two teams play a double-header in Philadelphia, PA on Wednesday at 4:05 p.m. due to tomorrow’s outing at Yankee Stadium being postponed on account of the inbound Tropical Storm Isaias.
