Yanks swat 5 HRs vs. Rays, back Carlos Rodon’s gem

Carlos Rodon pitched seven dominant innings and the New York Yankees tied a season-high with five home runs and beat the visiting Tampa Bay Rays 9-1 on Monday afternoon (Tampa Bay Rays), becoming part of a four-game series.

The Yankees improved to 10-20 over their last 30 games after a 50-22 start, thanks to Rodon's best performance since a June 10 win over Kansas City.

Rodon (10-7) went 0-5 with a 9.67 ERA in his previous six starts, but allowed two hits and two walk-offs, and finished with The 10 strikeouts tied his longest playing time of the season. He didn't allow a hit until Jose Siri hit a home run to the right field seats in the fifth inning.

After Sealy's home run, Rodon struck out Jose Caballero and Jonny DeLuca and ended his outing with two more strikeouts in the seventh inning.

Austin Wells (3-for-5) and Anthony Volpe hit back-to-back home runs off Zack Littell (3-7). DJ LeMahieu also homered to snap an 0-for-18 skid, and Juan Soto (3-for-5, four RBI) went deep in the seventh and eighth innings. Oswaldo Cabrera had a two-run single for the Yankees, who had 15 hits.

Wells hit his seventh home run from the right field seats to open the second inning with the score 1-1. Volpe then hit an 0-1 slider to left field for his first home run since May 16.

It was the Yankees' third consecutive home run of the season.

LeMahieu, who entered the game batting .177, hit Littell's 0-1 sweeper to left field in the fifth inning to give the Yankees a 5-1 lead. It was LeMahieu's first home run since Sept. 5, a day after the Yankees gave the two-time batting champion a day off.

Soto hit his 24th home run in the seventh inning to extend the lead, then hit his 21st career multi-homer in the eighth inning.

Little allowed five runs on nine hits in 5 2/3 innings. Little, a former Yankees minor leaguer, struck out six and walked two to tie his career-worst mark.

Three home runs.

–Scene-level media