Stanton, Yankees power way to 9-3 win against Rays in opener

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Giancarlo Stanton hit a grand slam in the ninth inning for New York's fourth home run of the game, and the Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays 9-3 on Monday in the opener of their AL Division Series at Petco Park.

Stanton homered to straightaway center field on a 2-2 pitch from John Curtiss. The slugger took several steps with his bat still in his hands as he watched the ball sail through the warm San Diego night before beginning his trot.

A few fans chanted “Let's Go Yankees!" from a balcony on an office building just beyond right field of the mostly empty ballpark.

“That SoCal air, man. That SoCal weather. That’s what it is,” said Stanton, who is from Southern California.

Kyle Higashioka and Aaron Judge hit the tying and go-ahead home runs off Blake Snell in the fifth inning to back Gerrit Cole. Clint Frazier hit an impressive shot into the second deck in left in the third.

The Bronx Bombers became the first team in American League history to hit a grand slam in back-to-back playoff games. Gio Urshela connected for a slam in Game 2 of the first-round sweep against Cleveland. Two NL teams have done it, the 1977 Dodgers and 2011 Diamondbacks.

“This is what I signed up for. This is the time where you've got to step up and do your job,” Stanton said.

Game 2 in the best-of-five series is Tuesday night, with 21-year-old rookie Deivi García set to become the youngest Yankees pitcher to make a postseason start. Tyler Glasnow goes for the Rays.

The Yankees set a franchise record by hitting at least three home runs in three straight postseason games. They are the second team to do in baseball history after the Rays did it in four straight in 2008.

New York has hit 11 homers in those three games. They are the most for any team in the first three...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Stanton-Yankees-power-way-to-9-3-win-against-15623741.php