NEW YORK — Aaron Judge hit a pair of two-run homers, Anthony Wolfe sparked the Yankees, broke Joe DiMaggio’s career record for consecutive stolen bases, and the New York Yankees bounced back from a 6-game deficit to beat the Tampa Bay Rays in 9. -8 Saturday.
Rays ace Shane McClanahan couldn’t take a 6-0 lead into the fifth inning. It was an 8-7 loss to Tampa Bay in seven innings six days after Yankees ace Gerrit Cole blew a 6-0 lead in the fifth inning.
In a matchup of stellar openers, Cuban Yandy Diaz hit his first career grand slam off Cuban Nestor Cortez in a five-run fifth inning, the start of a streak in which 22 of 37 batters reached two 1/2 hits.
Judge, who wore pink cleats over Mother’s Day weekend, found her groove after spending time on the disabled list with a hip ailment. He hit his first home runs since April 19 and had his 29th multi-homer game.
For the Rays, Yandy Díaz of Cuba went 4-2 with two runs scored and four RBIs, while Randy Arosarena was 4-3 with a run scored and three RBIs. Dominicans Vander Franco 5-1 one run, Francisco Mejia 4-2 two runs. Colombian Harold Ramirez is 3-0.
For the Yankees, Gleyber Torres of Venezuela went 3-0 with two runs and Osvaldo Cabrera went 2-1 with two RBI.