Late surge leads Yankees past sloppy Astros

Field Level Media|published: Fri 29th March, 23:45 2024

Mar 29, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (2) is safe at second base as New York Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres (25) attempts to apply a tag during the third inning at Minute Maid Park. credits: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Oswaldo Cabrera went 4-for-5 with three RBIs as the New York Yankees followed a two-run seventh inning with a four-run eighth to top the host Houston Astros 7-1 on Friday.

New York's Juan Soto went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Giancarlo Stanton hit a 419-foot homer to left-center in the ninth.

Cabrera and Soto teamed to rally the Yankees past the Astros in the latter innings for the second time in as many games.

On Friday, Cabrera delivered an RBI single off Astros reliever Tayler Scott (0-1) with one out in the seventh that knotted the score at 1-1 two batters before Soto greeted Houston right-hander Rafael Montero with a bases-loaded walk that forced home Austin Wells.

The Yankees capitalized on the Astros' shaky defense an inning later.

Anthony Rizzo scored on a throwing error by Houston shortstop Jeremy Pena that lifted the Yankees to a 3-1 lead just before Astros reliever Parker Mushinski fielded a sacrifice bunt from Wells only to throw wildly past Jose Altuve covering first base. Alex Verdugo scored on the second Houston error of the frame, and Cabrera followed with a two-run single that drove home Anthony Volpe and Wells.

Astros starter Cristian Javier continued his mastery of the Yankees, twirling six shutout innings while allowing four hits and one walk and striking out six. In seven career appearances (six starts) against the Yankees between the regular season and postseason, Javier has a 1.70 ERA with 44 strikeouts in 37 innings.

Soto and Cabrera were responsible for all four hits registered off Javier, with the rest of the Yankees lineup going 0-for-18 with a two-out walk worked by Rizzo in the sixth.

Javier threw 90 pitches, 56 for strikes.

Alex Bregman recorded an RBI single that scored Altuve in the first, but the Astros squandered multiple opportunities against Yankees starter Carlos Rodon, stranding six baserunners — four in scoring position — over the first four innings. Rodon lasted 4 1/3 innings, yielding one run on five hits and three walks with four strikeouts.

—Field Level Media

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