Hal Steinbrenner already knows what it costs to keep Aaron Judge in the Bronx.
The price of doing the same thing to Juan Soto continues to rise, as the two sluggers faced off two innings apart — and Soto hit two home runs — in the Yankees’ 7-3 win over the Mariners at the stadium on Wednesday.
The victory allowed the Yankees to avoid their first three-game losing streak since April 14-16 and ensured that they would not be swept in a series for the first time this year.
Judge got the Yankees on the board in the bottom of the first with his 14th homer of the year, a two-run shot to opposite field to right to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead after Anthony Volpe started the inning with an infield hit to extend his career-high hitting streak to 15 games.
With the homer, 10 of Judge’s previous 12 hits went for extra bases, including four homers.
Soto followed in the third, as he came back after Volpe singled for the second time that night.
Like Judge, Soto took the ball the other way, as he came out to left center to make it 4-0.
Soto added another homer to opposite field in left to start the bottom of the sixth for a 5-0 lead and his 13th blast of the season.
Soto added to the spectacle in the top of the seventh, as fans serenaded the right fielder with another “Juan Soto” chant during a visit to the mound and Soto waved his arms in encouragement.
With a chance to put the finishing touches on Wednesday’s victory, Soto came to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh, this time to a chorus of “MVP.”
But this time, Soto withdrew his stick.
Judge and Soto’s three combined homers were all hit by right-hander Bryce Miller, who allowed just five baserunners in six innings, but they all scored.
To top things off on Wednesday, Nestor Cortes dazzled again at home, pitching five shutout innings, as the Yankees rotation continued to excel.
But the usually excellent bullpen faltered, as Michael Tonkin walked two batters in his second inning of work and Luke Weaver then allowed a three-run homer to Cal Raleigh to cut the Yankees’ lead at 5-3 with one out in the eighth.
Alex Verdugo gave the Yankees a slight lead again in the bottom of the inning with the team’s fourth home run of the night, a two-run shot into the stands in right center.
The 420-foot shot made the score 7-3.
Cortes issued a leadoff walk to start the game, a Dylan Moore double in the second and a base hit to open the third.
Much like Clarke Schmidt on Tuesday, Cortes saw his pitch count increase early.
It took him 27 pitches to get through the first inning and found himself down to 74 pitches after three, when he stranded two runners.
Cortes retired eight of his final nine batters before giving way to Tommy Kahnle, who was making his first appearance of the season after missing time with shoulder inflammation.
New York Post
