Scott Heineman goes deep, Rangers lose 10-1 vs. Yankees
NEW YORK (AP) — James Paxton pitched one-hit ball for seven shutout innings, striking out 12 and winning his seventh straight start as the New York Yankees bounced back in a big way, routing the Texas Rangers 10-1 Tuesday night.
Gary Sánchez hit two home runs, Edwin Encarnación added a two-run drive in his return from the injured list, and Didi Gregorius and Brett Gardner also connected. The five homers came a day after Mike Minor and the Texas bullpen ended New York's streak of 220 games without being shut out.
Paxton (12-6) pitched quickly and began with 4 2/3 hitless innings. The left-hander gave up his only hit when Isiah Kiner-Falefa had a clean single to right field.
Paxton walked one, mixing an effective fastball with a sharp curve he threw 27 times in his 95 pitches. The lefty matched the longest winning streak of his career and his season-high strikeout total.
Sánchez homered in the first and sixth innings as the Yankees won for the seventh time in nine games. The catcher broke his career-high with 34 homers and recorded his 14th career multihomer game.
Edinson Volquez (0-1) opened the game for Texas and allowed two runs on one hit. Ariel Jurado followed Volquez and allowed five runs on seven hits in four-plus innings.
The Yankees became the fifth team in major league history to hit at least 260 homers in a season. New York is six behind its franchise record set last season.
Scott Heineman hit his first career homer in the ninth off Jonathan Loaisiga for Texas.
RANGERS MINOR SHAKEUP
Texas announced its coaching staff for Triple-A Nashville will not return next season. Manager Jason Wood guided Nashville to a 66-72 record and his staff included Eric Gagne as the bullpen coach and Brian Shouse as the pitching coach. Geno Petralli, also a coach for Nashville, will stay on as a roving instructor and hitting coach Howard Johnson also was offered a role in the organization.
CROWDED
The Yankees announced a crowd of 33,711 to go over the 3 million mark for a major league-record 21st straight season.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Yankees: RHP Luis Severino (right rotator cuff inflammation/strained lat) is expected to throw 55 pitches in his next rehab start Friday for Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes/Barre. ... RHP Dellin Betances (right shoulder impingement) faced hitters in live batting practice and could appear in a rehab game later this week. . OF Giancarlo Stanton (right knee sprain) faced Betances in batting practice and hit a home run.
UP NEXT
RHP Lance Lynn (14-9, 3.77), who last won 15 games in 2014 for St. Louis starts for Texas on Wednesday. The Yankees are expected to use an opener.
