Nearly 15 years separate Yankees shortstop George Lombard Jr. and starting pitcher Gerrit Cole. Ten years separate Cole and outfielder Spencer Jones.
Cole is closer in age to some of the Yankees legends who were on hand for Old Timers’ Day on Saturday. Despite that, he and New York’s two rookies were the driving forces behind the Yankees against the Braves.
Lombard and Jones combined for four hits, two walks, and three RBI, while Cole pitched seven strong innings to lead the Yankees past the Braves 5-4 at Yankee Stadium.
Saturday afternoon showcased a pitching duel by two former Cy Young winners: Cole for the Yankees and Chris Sale for the Braves. Even in the late stages of his career, Sale might be in line for another Cy Young. The 37-year-old entered Saturday second in MLB with a 2.08 ERA and had allowed no runs in three of his previous four starts.
Atlanta entered the series on an eight-game winning streak. New York’s struggling offense against one of the hottest teams in baseball seemed like a worrying sign. The Yankees snapped the Braves’ streak with their comeback, walk-off win on Friday night. Facing Sale on nine days’ rest would be a different test — and New York passed.
The 35-year-old Cole, coming off Tommy John surgery that kept him out, was the better pitcher on Saturday. His 7.0 innings, six hits, nine strikeouts, and two earned runs earned him his sixth victory of the season.
“For as much as as much experience as he has and as much as he did to get ready to be back, you still haven’t been out there in a year and a half,” manager Aaron Boone said about Cole postgame. “I think he’s just finding his way a little bit. I feel like he’s executing really well. Today was more of that.”
Sale finished the day with a strong 6.0 innings, five hits, eight strikeouts, and three earned runs.
Both he and Cole faced their most trouble in the fifth inning.
The Braves started with four consecutive hits off Cole to begin the fifth. Atlanta scored two runs to take the lead with the top of its order due up. But Cole worked his way out of the jam, retiring the next three batters to strand two runners on base.
Jones was the spark for the Yankees’ offense. He started the scoring with an RBI single in the second inning, before an RBI triple tied the game in the fifth.
“I feel like he’s shown here over the last 10 days,” Boone said. “He’s gaining experience, and you can see it up there. You can see some adjustments he makes. You can see matchups that are a little more challenging for him … And today a lot more good at bats, especially about as tough as you’re going to face in Chris Sale.”
Lombard’s at-bats were veteran-like, despite it being just his fourth career start. The 21-year-old worked a full count in his first two at-bats. His second led to Sale’s first walk issued of the game, where the rookie had two successful ABS challenges to reach base. Jones’ triple brought him home in the next at-bat.
“We’re confident that he’s ready for this, and he’s certainly shown that here through this first week,” Boone said. “How about the two challenges? I mean, that could arguably say that was as big as anything, setting us up to win a game.”
The Yankees added much-needed insurance runs late. Lombard’s second career homer in the seventh inning, before Ben Rice added his second ninth-inning RBI in as many days with his solo home run. Closer David Bednar allowed one run, but closed it out to earn his 26th save of the season.
Back-to-back Yankees wins are crucial to stay ahead of the surging Red Sox. With Boston just 1.5 games behind New York, staying out of third place is just as important as chasing the first-place Rays.
