Gardner, Romine Lead Yankees To Victory, Series Split With White Sox
CHICAGO (CBSNewYork/AP) — It's been a rough stretch for Brett Gardner and the Yankees lately. New York had lost eight of their last 12 games and Gardner's own frustrations left him six stitches in his lip - after throwing his helmet having it bounce back into his face.
On Sunday, the Yankees took those frustrations out on Chicago. James Paxton pitched six effective innings, while Gardner and Austin Romine each had four RBIs in a 10-3 rout of the White Sox.
Gardner and Romine, the backup catcher behind Gary Sánchez, each drove in two runs with singles in New York's five-run third. Cameron Maybin added a solo shot in the seventh as the Yankees homered for the 19th straight game, and pulled away to win their second straight to salvage a split of the four-game series.
Paxton (4-3) allowed eight hits and allowed two runs for his first win since April 26. The left-hander struck out seven and walked one after being roughed up by the Mets for six runs in 2 2/3 innings last Tuesday.
The outing marked the first quality start by a Yankee starting pitcher since June 6, when the struggling J.A. Happ went seven innings against the Blue Jays. Paxton and the injury-plagued rotation has been at the center of New York's troubles in June.
Edwin Encarnación, the AL home run leader, will join the Yankees in New York on Monday and is expected to be available in the opener of a three-game series against Tampa Bay. Manager Aaron Boone plans to use the 36-year-old as his team's primary designated hitter.
The Yankees acquired Encarnación in a trade with the Seattle Mariners on Saturday night, adding another slugger to what could be one of the most powerful lineups when Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge return from injuries, starting this week.
With an overcrowded bench of right-handed power hitters now, Yankee fans will wait to see if another trade will soon address the team's clearest area on need - dominant starting pitching.
Chicago's Odrisamer Despaigne (0-2) allowed seven runs and nine hits and four walks in 4 1/3 innings in his second career start.
The Yankees took advantage of Despaigne's wildness in the third to take a 5-1 lead.
New York sent 10 batters to the plate, using three walks and five singles in the rally. All the runs scored with two outs.
Gardner's single drove in two. Gio Urshela followed with an RBI single up the middle. Romine's single to center scored two more.
Romine's double in the fifth made it 7-1 and chased Despaigne.
TRAINER'S ROOM:
Boone said he expects Stanton to be activated Tuesday after being sidelined since March 31 by biceps, shoulder and calf injuries. Stanton will wrap up a three-game stint with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre at Durham, North Carolina, on Sunday night, then travel to New York on Monday.
Judge, who strained his left oblique in late April, will play in the outfield for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Sunday.
UP NEXT:
RHP Masahiro Tanaka (4-5, 3.58) takes the mound as New York opens a three-game home series against Tampa Bay. The Rays had not named a starter. Tanaka is 1-2 with a 5.79 ERA in his past three starts.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
