Routine Is Key For Success In Penalty Taking, Says Gundogan
NEW YORK -- — Frankie Montas made a triumphant return to Yankee Stadium, Nick Martini, Jonathan India and Spencer Steer homered and the Cincinnati Reds completed a three-game sweep of reeling New York with an 8-4 victory Thursday.
“Everybody knows what I can do when I’m healthy,” Montas said.
Steer opened a 5-0 lead in the fifth inning with a three-run, opposite-field homer to right off Marcus Stroman (7-4). Jake Fraley boosted the advantage to 8-2 with a bases-loaded triple in the seventh against Jake Cousins as Cincinnati (42-45) became the first NL team to sweep a regular-season interleague series in the Bronx.
New York (54-35) has lost 13 of 17 games and 14 of 19 after a 49-21 start.
“You go back at all the past World Series champions, they’ve always hit a little skid at some point,” Yankees captain Aaron Judge said. “That's what kind of defines a team is how we respond out of this.”
Montas (4-6) ended a four-start winless streak, taking a shutout into the fifth and allowing two runs, four hits and three walks in five-plus innings.
New York's Ben Rice, moved into the leadoff spot 15 games into his major league career, hit his first big league homer with a 407-foot drive into the Judge's Chambers in the right-field seats in the fifth. The ball was caught by the VanDerVolgen family from the Albany area, a group of six that had been upgraded from the second deck just before the game. They exchanged the home run ball for balls Rice autographed in the clubhouse.
Rice had fantasized about what the home run would be like.
“It’s way cooler to actually do it than just dream about it,” he said.
Austin Wells homered leading off the fifth and Juan Soto added his 21st homer, a two-run drive against Nick Martinez in the seventh.
A 31-year-old right-hander, Montas had an unsuccessful stint with the Yankees. Acquired from Oakland at the 2022 trade deadline, Montas struggled to a 6.35 ERA over eight starts in a season cut short by right shoulder inflammation. He had surgery to repair the labrum on Feb. 15 last year and made his only appearance of the season on the final weekend.
Montas became a free agent, signed a one-year deal with the Reds that guaranteed $16 million and became their opening-day starter. Backup catcher Luke Maile was behind the plate for his eighth straight start.
Stroman gave up five runs and five hits in five innings.
Will Benson made a leaping catch with his glove at the top of the center-field wall in the first to rob Soto, who had gone into a home run trot.
Martini put the Reds ahead in the second when he drove a cutter off the top of the wall in right-center and into the Yankees bullpen for his fifth home run this season. India, who had three hits after starting the series 0 for 7, put a sinker over the center of the plate into the left-field seats in the third. Steer added his three-run shot in the fifth.
After the Yankees closed to 5-2, shortstop Elly De La Cruz made a fine sidearm throw to get Alex Verdugo at the plate trying to score on Anthony Volpe's sixth-inning grounder.
Before the game, the Yankees marked the 85th anniversary of Lou Gehrig's farewell speech by showing a video clip that included current players reading his words. Five people afflicted with Lou Gehrig's disease were on the field near home plate, including Major League Baseball's Sarah Langs.
Reds catcher Austin Wynns cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A Louisville.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Yankees: INF Jon Berti (strained left calf) will accompany the team on its upcoming trip, remain at the minor league facility in Tampa, Florida, and could be ready for a rehab assignment around the time of the All-Star break. ... RHP Scott Effross (Tommy John surgery) pitched a hitless inning with a walk and a strikeout for Triple-A Scranton/Wikes-Barre on Wednesday night in his fifth rehab outing.
UP NEXT
Reds: RHP Carson Spiers (2-1, 3.11 ERA) will be on the mound for Friday's homestand opener against Detroit RHP Reese Olson (2-8, 3.32).
Yankees: LHP Nestor Cortes (4-7, 3.51 ERA) starts Friday night's series opener against Boston RHP Tanner Houck (7-6, 2.67).
------
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
New Year 2024 Quotes 2024 01 553deac3d9605f606e6417fce63494c2 ?impolicy=website&width=0&height=0Motivation 2024 7July Flat,750x,075,f Pad,750x1000,f8f8f8 Interior Design Quote 75 2024 New Year 2024 New Start Motivation Inspirational Quote Message Man Meets Dawn Mountains New Year 2024 274411406 56d49160 8dae 4278 A634 7f48fdc42e53 980x1470 7e589da8e8f366f8250e8f41b8350628 9739133f5b6e3953e96cf72e04f5762c 224316ef0365ea8efcb580ae60db8e6c 2024%2Bdfv 2024%2BRGF 4f812097253a4775b7eda28d129b1105 C92228a0464022e3400a60edf558a4be 72e39d2d0afce7f6f0dbfb0ae2a40682 Ef39bca6baac3d7fb1ea1cafbe1fd0cf F9c7116af3722e522f40663128b64466 8caa376a35b1738ef1621245639e3b03 2023125 B Designer In Residence Header 2 899b39985b732f4d02536a72e3ffa2a3 D1f1b9338788efa1c1ff2185e10c95eb 1a118427c6ebeb6383def34b191959a9 88ed4c3dd963cfc8edfb47947a6fd629 Interior Design Quotes 4 300x240 Poster Board Black White Minimalist Professional Motivational Quote Twitter Headers 1 D8db021addfc2605eeb0b47a80bfe5d8 D4a94d2916bb76e251f205e8108b9172 A5c15d921f6ffbe7238ea267f4dfaeb0 Ab1eea6074aacfecd3b2f1b16655b1e9 49e95fccbd664c42ae0daca3149d3e85 6597cac226549d658bb9a965e46a6830 45df8aaa6c399b07ef8c3f0d94c0947b 2cf1e5cc069e81fecbfe9c460d6f7685 42f1df44dc1c09bc5371344ec3187f0b 1674df935dfb189542367239c72de5ba 5bdd89df11dbb1118160b6500600f223