NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Decide ended the longest home run drought of his career with a go-ahead grand slam within the seventh inning that rallied the New York Yankees previous the Boston Pink Sox 5-4 on Friday evening.
The star slugger had gone 16 video games and 75 plate appearances with no longball earlier than launching a clutch drive into the decrease left-field seats off reliever Cam Booser (2-3) for a 5-4 benefit.
New York prolonged its AL East result in three video games over Baltimore, held hitless for 8 2/3 innings by 4 Tigers pitchers in a 1-0 loss at Detroit. It’s the Yankees’ largest cushion since they led by 3 1/2 video games earlier than a June 15 defeat at Boston that began a 4-14 slide.
The fading Pink Sox (74-74) started the evening 4 1/2 video games behind Minnesota for the league’s final wild card.
Mark Leiter Jr. (4-5) received 4 outs in reduction of starter Clarke Schmidt for the win. Luke Weaver struck out 5 in two scoreless innings for his second profession save.
Decide’s eighth profession slam and second this season despatched the Yankee Stadium crowd of 45,292 right into a frenzy, and he got here out of the dugout for a curtain name.
It was the 52nd homer of the season for Decide, who additionally leads the majors with 130 RBIs. He hadn’t gone deep since Aug. 25, when he homered twice in opposition to Colorado.
Decide hit 9 homers in 10 video games earlier than the drought.
The 2022 AL MVP set a career worst when his homerless streak reached 16 games Thursday night in opposition to Boston.
Emergency starter Richard Fitts pitched 5 shutout innings for Boston after Tanner Houck was scratched lower than an hour earlier than the primary pitch as a result of proper shoulder fatigue.
Trevor Story hit a two-run shot off Leiter within the seventh that gave the Pink Sox a 4-0 lead, his first residence run this season after returning final weekend from a dislocated left shoulder that had sidelined him since April 6.
Masataka Yoshida snapped a scoreless tie when he related for a two-run drive that chased Schmidt with two outs within the sixth.
Zack Kelly walked the underside two batters in New York’s lineup to start out the seventh and was eliminated after an RBI single by Gleyber Torres. Juan Soto drew a four-pitch stroll from Booser earlier than Decide related on a 2-0 fastball.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Pink Sox: OF Rob Refsnyder (proper wrist discomfort) remained out of the beginning lineup, however supervisor Alex Cora mentioned he hopes Refsnyder can begin Sunday in opposition to left-hander Carlos Rodón. … RHP Liam Hendriks mentioned he nonetheless hopes to pitch for Boston this season regardless of a small setback in his rehabilitation from Tommy John surgical procedure — however that may largely depend upon whether or not they stay within the pennant race. Hendriks will obtain a cortisone injection in his proper elbow Monday in Boston after which be shut down for about three days earlier than he resumes throwing.
Yankees: Supervisor Aaron Boone mentioned Decide will in all probability be the designated hitter Saturday to provide him a little bit of a breather.
UP NEXT
Pink Sox RHP Brayan Bello (13-7, 4.70 ERA) faces Yankees ace Gerrit Cole (6-4, 3.36) on Saturday.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
(Copyright (c) 2024 The Related Press. All Rights Reserved. This materials is probably not revealed, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
