Stanton homers and drives in 4 to power Cole, Yankees to 7-2 win over McClanahan and Rays

New York Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton hits a three-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

NEW YORK (AP) — Giancarlo Stanton homered and drove in four runs to lead Gerrit Cole and the New York Yankees past the Tampa Bay Rays 7-2 on Wednesday night, preventing a three-game sweep.

Cole (10-2) recovered from a rocky start and beat Shane McClanahan (11-2) in a marquee matchup of All-Star aces. New York scored five times in the third inning, highlighted by rookie Anthony Volpe’s two-run homer and Stanton’s three-run shot.

Stanton added a run-scoring single in the seventh to match his season high for RBIs. He also had four on July 15 in Colorado.

New York finished with 13 hits and scored its seventh run when Gleyber Torres came home on a double steal.

Cole allowed two runs and four hits in seven innings. He struck out eight, walked two and improved to 6-0 after a Yankees loss this season.

The right-hander walked his first batter before Wander Franco sent a 1-0 fastball into a suite overlooking the second deck in right field for his career-best 14th homer.

Later, the Yankees’ defense gave Cole some help.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa got his first two outfield assists by making throws from left field to get René Pinto and Manuel Margot trying to stretch singles in the third and fifth, respectively.

Center fielder Harrison Bader made a sliding catch at the warning track in left-center on Franco in the sixth.

New York sent eight batters to the plate and saw 37 pitches in the third. Volpe’s homer off McClanahan to the short porch in right tied it 2-all. Following singles by Kiner-Falefa and Torres, Stanton launched his 15th homer to right-center.

Stanton connected one night after striking out as a pinch-hitter on a 98 mph fastball against Pete Fairbanks with two on to end a 5-2 loss.

The last-place Yankees (56-52) improved to 2-4 since Aaron Judge came off the injured list Friday. New York won for the eighth time in 22 games since July 4.

McClanahan allowed five runs and five hits in four innings. The left-hander is winless in his last six outings since June 16.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rays: OF Luke Raley exited with a bruised right knee after fouling a ball off his kneecap in the fourth. Raley hobbled around, used the bat to hold himself up and finished his at-bat by striking out.

Yankees: LHP Nestor Cortes (strained rotator cuff) will return to the rotation for his first start since May 30 on Saturday or Sunday against Houston. … RHP Jonathan Loáisiga (right elbow inflammation) threw nine pitches in his second rehab appearance for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He will make another rehab appearance Friday and could be activated next week. … OF Willie Calhoun elected free agency this week instead of accepting an outright assignment to Triple-A.

GERMAN LEAVES TEAM

Yankees pitcher Domingo Germán has voluntarily entered inpatient treatment for alcohol abuse, the team announced.

Germán, who threw a perfect game at Oakland in late June, was placed on the restricted list two days before his 31st birthday. New York general manager Brian Cashman said Germán will not pitch again this season.

“It is critical that Domingo completely focuses on addressing his health and well-being,” the Yankees said in a statement. “We will respect his privacy as he begins this process.”

UP NEXT

Tampa Bay RHP Zack Littell (1-2, 4.85 ERA) opposes RHP Reese Olson (1-4, 4.71) in the opener of a three-game series Friday at Detroit.

Yankees RHP Clarke Schmidt (7-6, 4.39 ERA) faces Houston RHP Cristian Javier (7-2, 4.33) in the opener of a four-game series Thursday night, the first meeting between the teams since the Astros finished off a four-game ALCS sweep last October.

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