Yankees one step closer to postseason after 11-2 rout of Mariners

The Yankees‘ lineup erupted for 11 runs on 12 hits in their 11-2 win over the Mariners in Seattle on Tuesday night.

The win coupled with a Baltimore Orioles loss earlier in the night, increased the Yankees’ lead in the AL East to four games and their magic number to reach the postseason is now one.

Here are the takeaways…

It was the Aaron Judge show early in this game. He came through with a two-run double in the first inning and then with the bases loaded and two outs — and behind in the count 1-2 — in the second, the Yankee Captain laced a two-run single to put the Yankees up 4-0.

The second multi-RBI hit was set up by two-out singles from Alex Verdugo and Gleyber Torres and a walk by Juan Soto. Judge finished 2-for-4 with a walk and four RBI.

-Not to be outdone, Soto gave the Yankees some insurance runs in the fourth with a two-run shot that went 410 feet over the left-center field wall. Soto continues to have a career year offensively, tallying his first 40-homer season.

He became the seventh-youngest player to 200 home runs and has now homered in all 30 major league parks. Soto went 2-for-3 with two walks.

-The Yankees offense wasn’t done as Jasson Dominguez got in on the fun with his first home run of the season in the fifth. The young outfielder smashed an 89 mph changeup from Bryan Woo to straight center field 414 feet.

Austin Wells piled on the runs with a bases-clearing double in the sixth. Again, the big hit came with two outs after Soto and Judge walked to load the bases.

Anthony Volpe was not in the lineup on Tuesday with Oswaldo Cabrera giving the struggling shortstop a break. Cabrera finished 2-for-5 with an RBI. He was one of four hitters (Judge, Torres, Soto) to have multi-hit games.

–Luis Gil was equal parts erratic and lucky in the first inning. He walked two and hit a batter to load the bases before he got Luke Raley to pop out but then the Mariners’ Victor Robles inexplicably tried to steal home on a 3-0 count to Justin Turner when Gil had his back turned. Gil quickly threw to Wells who applied the tag and the Yankees escaped the inning.

But the rookie right-hander just didn’t have it, laboring through five innings while limiting as much damage as possible. The only Mariners run off of him was a Jorge Polanco solo shot in the second inning.

Gil would get through five, throwing 91 pitches (55 strikes) while allowing one run on four hits and three walks and striking out five.

–Aaron Boone said that Marcus Stroman was available out of the bullpen after missing his turn in the rotation, and the Yankees skipper used him. Stroman pitched the final three innings, allowing one run on four hits while striking out two batters to pick up his second career save (2014 with the Blue Jays).

Tim Mayza pitched a scoreless sixth inning in relief of Gil.

Game MVP: Juan Soto

This should go to the entire Yankees lineup but Soto was in the midst of all the scoring. Whether it was his home run or being on the bases, he was involved throughout.

Highlights

What’s next

The Yankees and Mariners continue their three-game set on Wednesday night. First pitch is set for 9:40 p.m.

Nestor Cortes (9-10, 3.90 ERA) looks to continue his superb stretch of starts while the Mariners will send Bryce Miller (11-8, 3.12 ERA) to the mound.