Stanton's 4th homer in 4 games powers Yankees over Rockies, Donaldson hurt again
DENVER — Giancarlo Stanton homered for the fourth time in four games and reached 1,000 career RBIs by driving in four runs to power the New York Yankees over the Colorado Rockies 6-3 on Saturday night.
Stanton's opposite-field, three-run homer down the right-field line with two outs in the second capped a five-run inning off Connor Seabold that built a 6-1 lead. Stanton, who has 12 homers at Coors Field, drove in the first run with a groundout in the first. He has 16 RBIs in his last 14 games.
Stanton was replaced by Oswaldo Cabrera in right field in the seventh. Stanton made a late, awkward slide into third base while going from first to third in the fourth inning.
Josh Donaldson appeared to hurt his right calf while running to first base on a grounder in the seventh inning. Donaldson was sidelined between April 5 and June 2 by a strained right hamstring.
Clarke Schmidt (5-6) gave up two runs and three hits in six innings while tying a career high with eight strikeouts. He is 4-2 with a 2.83 ERA in 10 starts and one relief appearance since May 14, lowering his season ERA from 6.30 to 4.31.
All of Schmidt's strikeouts were swinging, four with an 86 mph sweeper than kept the Rockies off balance.
Schmidt walked one and left after C.J. Cron's leadoff homer in the seventh inning — the first time Schmidt had pitched into the seven inning in his big league career. Schmidt balked in a run in the first.
Clay Holmes pitched a one-hit ninth for his 11th save in 13 chances.
DJ LeMahieu had three hits, including two doubles. Back at Coors Field, LaMahieu has had consecutive multihit games for the second time this season and first since April 23-24.
Gleyber Torres had two hits for the Yankees, who scored as many as six runs for the second time in seven games. Torres tripled on Seabold's first pitch of the game.
POWER OUTAGE
Anthony Rizzo's homer-less stretch reached a career-long 144 at-bats when he went 1 for 4 with a single. He has not homered since May 20.
"Baseball," manager Aaron Boone said. "It's hard, even for guys who are really good."
Rizzo missed three games early in that stretch after suffering a neck injury when he collided with Fernando Tatis Jr. on a pickoff play May 28.
"When he came back from the neck, he had two weeks where he really struggled, where he wasn't swinging very good," Boone said. "The last three weeks or, he's been better. It's not easy to hit the ball out of the ballpark or hit for power. It can be even harder when you go chasing."
SHORT DELAY
The game was delayed briefly before the bottom of the eighth inning when a fan ran onto the field and threw a towel toward Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe, who jumped away. The fan was wrestled to the ground by security personnel and taken off the field.
TRAINERS ROOM
Yankees: OF Aaron Judge (toe) took batting practice and increased his pregame running program. … OF Jake Bauers (shoulder) is to ramp baseball activities in the next few days, manager Aaron Boone said, before a roster decision is made. He is eligible to return from the IL Tuesday. … RHP Jonathan Loáisiga (elbow) is "getting close to throwing live," Boone said. … RHP Frankie Montas (shoulder) has a follow-up appointment in Anaheim with Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who performed arthroscopic surgery on Montas' labrum on April 21. "He's still in the playing-catch stage," Boone said.
Rockies: OF Randal Grichuk (groin) did not start after being removed from Friday's game in the sixth inning. … LHP Ryan Rolison (shoulder) was moved to the 60-day injured list when RHP Tommy Doyle was purchased from Triple-A Albuquerque on Friday. … 2B Brandon Rodgers (shoulder) could make his 2023 debut in the Arizona Complex League next week.
NEXT UP
Yankees RHP Gerrit Cole (9-2, 3.85 ERA) is to oppose Rockies' RHP Chase Anderson (0-4, 6.89) in the rubber game of a three-game series. Cole is 5-1 with a 2.47 ERA in five starts against Colorado, 1-0 in two starts at Coors Field. Anderson has given up 14 homers in 49 2/3 innings.
