Giancarlo Stanton hit a three-run home run in the fifth inning and tied a season high with four RBIs as the host New York Yankees earned an 8-7 victory over the struggling Texas Rangers on Sunday afternoon.
The Yankees won for the 10th time in 14 games and for the 70th time this season.
Juan Soto homered twice for the Yankees, who have won four of their past six series and joined the Baltimore Orioles as the second team to reach 70 wins. Aaron Judge hit his major league-leading 42nd homer following Soto’s second blast in the seventh, giving the Yankees their eighth run that proved crucial at game’s end.
Judge reached four times by singling twice and getting intentionally walked ahead of Stanton’s homer.
New York starter Marcus Stroman (8-6) earned his first win since June 22 by allowing one run on four hits in five-plus innings. The right-hander walked three and struck out one in an 89-pitch outing.
Stroman, who entered the game 0-3 with a 7.56 ERA in his previous six starts, pitched for the first time since lasting 2 2/3 innings against the Toronto Blue Jays on Aug. 2.
The Rangers scored all their runs from the sixth inning on. Nathaniel Lowe and Carson Kelly went deep, but Texas lost for the 11th time in 15 games.
Alex Verdugo opened the game by reaching on third baseman Josh Jung’s throwing error and scored on Stanton’s sacrifice fly.
After Soto homered off Texas starter Andrew Heaney (4-12) in the third, the Yankees capitalized on an intentional walk to Judge in the fifth. After Soto lined into a double play, Heaney issued the free pass to Judge and was replaced by Jose LeClerc.
Stanton followed by lining a 2-2 slider into the left field seats for his 20th homer and second since returning from a hamstring injury on July 29.
Corey Seager hit an RBI double that knocked out Stroman but the Rangers struck out three times in the sixth against Jake Cousins. DJ LeMahieu made it 6-1 in the bottom half with a sac fly.
Marcus Semien reached on a two-base error by third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. to get Texas within 6-3 in the seventh. After Semien’s soft grounder went by Chisholm’s glove, Tommy Kahnle retired Jung with two on before Soto and Judge connected.
Lowe belted a solo homer and Kelly slugged a two-run shot off Mark Leiter Jr. in the eighth. Clay Holmes allowed an RBI single to Adolis Garcia before securing his 25th save.
Heaney allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits in 4 2/3 innings. The left-hander struck out four and walked two.