The New York Yankees (32-20) came close to letting Sunday’s game slip away in Denver, but a timely hit from J.C. Escarra and strong bullpen work sealed a 5-4 win over the Rockies (9-44), clinching a sixth straight series victory.
Paul Goldschmidt continued to thrive in the leadoff spot, sparking the offense early with a first-inning single and scoring the game’s first run. He added another hit in the fifth and crossed the plate again on Aaron Judge’s go-ahead double, breaking a 2-2 tie. Goldschmidt has been red-hot in his first season in pinstripes, slashing .347/.401/.492 across 52 games.
Judge, who has enjoyed his debut series at Coors Field, chipped in with a 2-for-4 day that included the pivotal RBI double. But the biggest offensive performance came from backup catcher J.C. Escarra. Batting seventh, Escarra led the team with three hits and two RBI, including a clutch eighth-inning single that gave the Yankees a two-run cushion, a run that proved decisive.
Will Warren got the start and bounced back nicely after loading the bases in the first, limiting the damage to two runs and striking out seven over four innings. A rain delay in the fifth cut his outing short.
The bullpen held strong, with Jonathan Loáisiga, Mark Leiter Jr., and Devin Williams combining for 3.1 scoreless frames. Luke Weaver allowed a leadoff home run in the ninth and had to work around trouble but ultimately nailed down the save.
The Yankees now head to Anaheim to open a three-game set with the Angels on Monday at 9:38 p.m.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].