Profar 3-run double trumps 4 Yankees HRs in 12-10 Texas win

Published 2:45 am Thursday, May 24, 2018

ARLINGTON (AP) — Jurickson Profar had a bases-clearing double to put the Texas Rangers ahead to stay in a wild, series-clinching 12-10 win over the New York Yankees, who matched a major league record with four more homers Wednesday night.

Gleyber Torres became the youngest Yankee ever to homer in three consecutive games and Aaron Judge hit a 471-foot blast as New York became only the third team in major league history with 21 homers in a five-game stretch — 12 of those in Texas.

Torres, a 21-year-old second baseman playing in his 27th career game, and Judge both homered during a sixrun fifth to put New York ahead 10-5. The Rangers then scored twice in the bottom of the fifth, and an inning later got Profar’s three-run double to make it 11-10 after reliever David Robertson (3-2) had already given up a bases-loaded walk.

Didi Gregorius and Neil Walker also went deep for the Yankees, who have at least three homers in five consecutive games for the first time in team history. The only other teams with 21 homers in a five-game span were the 1999 Reds and the 1977 Red Sox, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Rangers rookie Ronald Guzman also homered in his third straight game, a three-run blast in the fifth off starter CC Sabathia after Nomar Mazara had a two-run shot earlier in the inning.

Alex Claudio (2-2), the third of six Texas pitchers, struck out three in 1 2/3 scoreless innings. Keone Kela struck out the side in a perfect ninth for his 10th save in 10 chances.

The Yankees are 5-5 since a 17-1 stretch.

Texas is 9-17 at home this season but took two of three against New York and has won consecutive home series for the first time this season. The Yankees had won their last four road series.

ASTROS 4, GIANTS 1

HOUSTON (AP) — Justin Verlander got some run support for the first time in nearly a month and led the Houston Astros over the San Francisco Giants 4-1 on Wednesday.

Verlander (6-2) struck out nine and walked one in six innings, allowing one run and three hits as his major league-leading ERA rose slightly to 1.08. He had given up just three runs over 29 innings during his previous four starts, but the Astros had scored just three runs in that span, getting shut out twice.

Will Harris, Brad Peacock and Ken Giles each followed with a one-hit inning. Giles remained perfect in nine save chances.