PHOENIX — The New York Yankees struck for five runs in the first inning and never looked back in a 9-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night in Arizona. The win, paired with Tampa Bay's loss earlier in the evening, pulled New York within 4.0 games of the Rays for first place in the AL East.
New York jumped on Arizona starter Eduardo Rodriguez immediately, loading the bases with no outs on a walk, single and walk. Ben Rice worked back from a 1-2 count to draw a bases-loaded walk for the first run, Amed Rosario — starting at third base — blooped a single to drive in another, and a passed ball allowed Heliot Ramos to score after Spencer Jones struck out. Rookie George Lombard Jr. capped the rally with a two-run single for a 5-0 lead.
Gerrit Cole delivered the bounce-back start New York needed after allowing seven home runs over his last two starts. He needed just 12 pitches for a shutdown first inning after being staked to the lead, then surrendered a two-run home run to Corbin Carroll in the second. That was all the right-hander allowed over six strong innings, giving up two runs on four hits with no walks and six strikeouts.
Rice added to the lead with his 39th home run of the season in the third, a 390-foot shot over the left-center field wall off Rodriguez. It was his fifth homer in his last 22 games, and he finished 2-for-3 with the homer and a triple. Lombard stayed productive with a solo shot in the sixth that knocked Rodriguez out of the game, and New York tacked on two more runs in the seventh off Zac Gallen — making his first career relief appearance after being moved to the bullpen following a difficult 2026 — aided by an error and a failed double-play attempt.
Ryan Yarbrough, Michael Fulmer and Luis Gil closed out the final nine outs in relief of Cole, with Yarbrough working around two hits in the seventh and Gil escaping an inning with two baserunners. With Aaron Judge on the IL for the foreseeable future, the rest of the outfield was held in check as Cody Bellinger (1-for-5), Jones (0-for-4) and Ramos (0-for-2, 2 BB) combined to go 1-for-11. Jones went hitless with two more strikeouts and has now struck out nine times in his last four games. The outing also gave the bullpen needed rest after Wednesday's 13-inning game. The three-game set continues Saturday at 8:05 p.m. with Cam Schlittler (14-6, 1.95 ERA) slated to face Brandon Pfaadt (7-3, 3.77 ERA).