CLEVELAND — (AP) Giancarlo Stanton busted out of his slump with two rocketed home runs — one with the highest exit velocity this season — and New York connected four times, sending the Yankees to a 5-3 win over the Cleveland Indians.
Stanton hit a 429-foot solo shot that registered 118 mph off his bat in the third inning against Logan Allen, and another in the fifth. It was the slugger's first multi-homer game since Sept. 27, 2018.
After a horrendous start, the Yankees (8-11) are showing signs of getting going with three wins in four games. Rougned Odor added a two-run homer and Aaron Hicks had a solo shot for New York.
For the second night in a row, the Tribe (8-10) took a 3-0 first-inning lead thanks to RBIs from Franmil Reyes, Eddie Rosario, and Amed Rosario. This time, they could not hold the lead for even another frame, as Hicks and Odor homered in the second to tie it before Stanton put the Yanks ahead for good.
Allen allowed four runs over just 2 1/3 innings to pick up the loss, and while the bullpen was mostly solid, the offense wilted again with just three more hits after that quick first inning. The Cleveland lineup is now hitting a paltry .207 on the season.
The Indians have now lost five of their last six with still two more left in this four-game set with the Bronx Bombers. Shane Bieber (2-1, 2.45 ERA) will try to stop the bleeding Saturday night in a marquee matchup against New York ace Gerrit Cole (2-1, 1.82).