NEW YORK — Juan Soto hit two of the Yankees’ five home runs and New York salvaged a four-game series split with a 9-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday.
Soto had his fourth multi-homer game this season since coming over in a December trade and 21st of his career, tying him with Hall of Famer Eddie Mathews for the second most by anyone 25 years old or younger. He hit a solo homer into the third deck in right field in the seventh inning and added a three-run homer in the eighth and now has 25 on the season.
Soto hit his 24th homer into a suite above the second deck down the right field line and took a 37.7-second trot after hitting a 424-foot shot to right. He briefly stared at the ball, dropped the bat, raised his right hand between first and second and did a little step at third.
“I’m just trying to make sure it was a fair ball,” Soto said. “I was literally pulling with everything that I have to stay fair. It was fun to see it and I definitely got a hold (of it).”
Soto went 11 for 18 in the series, including a four-hit game on Friday.
“That first one was really far and then the second one was really hard and lot,” New York starter Carlos Rodón said. “So a little treat of both, high launch and low launch. Just a great hitter, a great player.”
DJ LeMahieu, Austin Wells and Anthony Volpe also homered as the Yankees tied a season high by hitting five homers for the second time this season.
Rodón (10-7) earned his first win since June 10. He allowed one run and two hits and struck out 10 in seven innings.
“Just a steady mix of everything, getting ahead, attacking the strike zone,” Rodón said.
LeMahieu ended an 0-for-18 slide with his first homer in 10 months. He entered with a .177 average and the two-time batting champion hit his first homer since Sept. 5 after being given Sunday off.
Rodón entered 0-5 with a 9.37 ERA in his previous six starts since his previous victory June 10 at Kansas City, but was in complete command from the outset. He matched his longest outing of the season by going seven innings for the third time and snapped the second-longest losing streak of his career.
The left-hander had his 25th career double-digit strikeout game and first since Sept. 17. He averaged 95.5 mph on his 55 fastballs, threw 20 sliders, 16 curveballs and 10 changeups.
“That’s as good as we’ve seen him throw against us,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. “When he’s right, we know how talented he is and unfortunately we saw it today.”
Rodón did not allow a hit until Jose Siri homered in the fifth inning.
Siri slowly ran around the bases at 30.0 seconds, cupped his right hand to his ear while rounding third base before making another hand gesture at home plate as fans booed and Aaron Judge stared at him.
“He hit that ball well out to right,” Rodón said of Siri. “He could run as slow or as fast as he wants.”
Siri also homered in the Rays’ 6-4 victory on Sunday.
“That’s just normal,” Siri said through a translator. “I was trying to have fun with my teammates in the dugout and that’s what happened.”
Wells and Volpe hit back-to-back homers in the second off Zack Littell (3-7) for the Yankees, whose 15 hits were their third most this season.
“Up and down the lineup today everyone kind of contributed with quality at-bats,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.
Oswaldo Cabrera added a two-run single in the fourth before LeMahieu connected an inning later.
Wells hit a 1-1 slider to right field for a 1-0 lead and Volpe followed by hitting the same pitch to left field for his first homer since May 16. It was the third time this season the Yankees hit back-to-back homers.
LeMahieu hit an 0-1 sweeper into the first row of the left field seats above Randy Arozarena’s leaping try. Wells raised his arms to celebrate and LeMahieu was pounded on the helmet by several other teammates in the dugout.
Littell allowed five runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rays: First baseman Yandy Díaz missed his fourth straight game because of personal reasons and it is unclear if he will join the team Tuesday in Toronto. … RHP Drew Rasmussen (elbow) threw a scoreless inning in his first rehab appearance for Triple-A Durham on Sunday. … Right-hander Ryan Pepiot (knee infection) will be released from the hospital and return to Tampa Bay to continue treatment.
Yankees: Infielder Jon Berti (strained left calf) took swings and played catch. Right-hander Nick Burdi (right hip inflammation) will throw a live batting practice session Tuesday or Wednesday at the spring training complex in Tampa, Fla., before possibly starting a rehab assignment.
UP NEXT
Rays: Left-hander Tyler Alexander (2-3, 6.19 ERA) will either start or follow an opener Tuesday in Toronto. The Blue Jays will start right-hander José Berríos (8-7, 4.01).
Yankees: Rookie Luis Gil (10-5, 3.17 ERA) opens the Subway Series on Tuesday in the Bronx against Mets left-hander Jose Quintana (4-6, 4.13).
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
