Stanton homers twice, powering Yankees past Indians 5-3

CLEVELAND (AP) — Giancarlo Stanton busted out of his slump with two rocketed home runs — one with the highest exit velocity this season — and New York connected four times, sending the Yankees to a 5-3 win over the Cleveland Indians on Friday night.

Stanton hit a 429-foot solo shot in the third inning off Logan Allen (1-3) and another in the fifth for his first multi-homer game since Sept. 27, 2018. New York has won two straight and three of four after a horrendous start. The Yankees overcame a 3-0 first-inning deficit for the second game in a row.

Rougned Odor added a two-run homer and Aaron Hicks also went deep for New York.

Yankees starter Jordan Montgomery settled in after a 37-pitch first inning, but was lifted in the fifth, one out shy of qualifying for the win.

Lucas Luetge (1-0) came on and got four outs and was credited with his first win in the majors since 2013 with Seattle. The right-hander kicked around in the minors the past few seasons before signing with New York in March.

Darren O'Day and Chad Green pitched an inning apiece before closer Aroldis Chapman worked the ninth for his fourth save.

Like many of his teammates, Stanton came staggering into the series with a .158 batting average and in a 3-for-34 slump. Manager Aaron Boone gave him Thursday off, and the rest seemed to help one of baseball's most feared sluggers — when he's locked in.

After the Yankees rallied to tie it 3-3 with a three-run second on the homers by Hicks and Odor, Stanton put them ahead for good in the third with his laser into the left-field bleachers, a 118 mph screamer.

Earlier this season, Stanton hit a single that registered 120 mph, the hardest-hit ball of 2021.

In the fifth off reliever Trevor Stephan, Stanton made it 5-3 with a 418-foot shot that crashed safely...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Stanton-homers-twice-powering-Yankees-past-16125377.php