Judge and Stanton homer to back effective Cortes as streaking Yankees top White Sox 4-2

Judge and Stanton homer to back effective Cortes as streaking Yankees top White Sox 4-2 originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton homered, Nestor Cortes won for the first time in 5 1/2 weeks and the New York Yankees beat the Chicago White Sox 4-2 on Friday night for their fifth straight victory.

Alex Verdugo and Stanton hit consecutive RBI doubles off starter Mike Clevinger (0-2) in the fourth inning to give the Yankees a 3-1 lead. New York (31-15) equaled its longest winning streak this season and has won 11 of 13 overall, moving 16 games above .500 for the first time since finishing 99-63 in 2022.

Caleb Ferguson pitched out of an eighth-inning jam to preserve a two-run lead and Clay Holmes worked a hitless ninth for his AL-best 13th save. The closer has not allowed an earned run in 19 appearances this year.

Andrew Vaughn had two RBI singles and leadoff batter Tommy Pham finished with three hits for the White Sox (14-31) in a matchup between the top and bottom teams in the American League.

With a runner on, Pham took a called third strike to end it. Chicago had won two in a row and six of eight.

Both teams were coming off consecutive shutouts. Cortes (2-4) had been the lone weak link in a run of stingy starting pitching by the Yankees, but the crafty left-hander was on his game this time. He struck out six and did not allow an earned run in seven innings of five-hit ball for his first win since April 8 against Miami.

Cortes was 0-3 in his previous four starts and winless in his past six.

New York improved to 35-4 when Judge and Stanton homer in the same game, including the playoffs.

TRAINER’S ROOM

White Sox: INF Bryan Ramos was placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Wednesday, with a left quadriceps strain. INF Danny Mendick (lower back tightness) was reinstated from the IL after playing two rehab games at Triple-A Charlotte. … Chicago hopes OF Luis Robert Jr. (right hip flexor strain) will be able to start playing rehab games early next week at the club’s complex in Arizona. … RHP Dominic Leone (lower back tightness) threw live batting practice and could come off the injured list Monday in Toronto. … OF Corey Julks was recalled from Charlotte and INF Braden Shewmake was optioned to Charlotte.

Yankees: INF DJ LeMahieu began a rehab assignment with Double-A Somerset. He played third base for a few innings as planned and finished 1 for 2 with a single. The two-time batting champion has been sidelined all season after breaking his right foot March 16 on a foul ball in spring training. His first rehab assignment was halted by soreness after one inning on April 23. New York manager Aaron Boone said he thinks it’s possible LeMahieu could return sometime on the West Coast trip that runs from May 24 to June 2. … RHP Tommy Kahnle (shoulder inflammation) struck out all three batters he faced Thursday in a rehab outing for Somerset. He’s scheduled to pitch in the minors again Sunday and could possibly return to the Yankees on Tuesday, Boone said.

UP NEXT

Chicago RHP Brad Keller (0-1, 2.84 ERA) faces rookie RHP Luis Gil (4-1, 2.51) in the middle game of the series Saturday afternoon. Gil is coming off six shutout innings Sunday in a win at Tampa Bay.

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