The Yankees started their three-game set against the Houston Astros with a 4-0 win on Friday night.
Here are the key takeaways…
– Nestor Cortes Jr. got the start on the mound for the Yankees, and he did an outstanding job of keeping the Astros’ bats off-balance. Cortes gave the Yankees 4.2 terrific innings, allowing just two hits without a run.
– The Yankees put a couple of runners on against Jake Odorizzi in the top of the first, as Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez both singled. But a Giancarlo Stanton 6-4-3 double play ended the early threat.
– Gleyber Torres came into the night with just six hits in his last 30 at-bats, but he hit the ball hard in each of his first two at-bats, resulting in two singles. His second hit helped spur the offense on in the fourth inning, as Brett Gardner would eventually put the Yankees on the board first with a clutch two-out, two-run double to make it a 2-0 game.
The game stayed 2-0 into the seventh inning, when the Yankees had a chance to add on. After a Gardner walk and a Tyler Wade double, DJ LeMahieu put up a 10-pitch at-bat before hitting a double to score both runners and make it a 4-0 game.
-Behind Cortes, Lucas Luetge (1.1 innings), Chad Green (2.0 innings), and Jonathan Loaisiga pitched scoreless appearances out of the pen, as the Astros were held to just three hits all game.
– Judge recorded the 500th hit of his major league career with a double in the top of the ninth. Judge, LeMahieu, Torres, and Urshela all hit two-hit nights on Friday.
Highlights
What’s next
The Yankees and Astros go at it again on Saturday at 7:15 p.m.
Gerrit Cole will take the ball against his former teammate Zack Greinke.