Yanks' back-to-back homers power up postgame tunes again

NEW YORK – The Yankees preached steadiness throughout their six-game losing streak, with team captain Aaron Judge saying they were “determined to win the next pitch” and general manager Brian Cashman remarking that “the storm will pass, sooner than later.” Consider this a cloud break, brightening what had been a dark week in the Bronx.

Almost forgotten, the celebratory blue strobe lights and thumping beats flicked on again in Yankee Stadium’s home clubhouse Thursday afternoon, powered by back-to-back homers from Trent Grisham and Paul Goldschmidt as the Bombers ended their six-game slide with a 7-3 victory over the Angels.

“It definitely feels good hearing the music again,” said outfielder Cody Bellinger, who contributed three of the club’s 12 hits. “Obviously, we were very frustrated with the past few games [given] the talent we have in this locker room. Ultimately, we broke through in a pretty good way today.”

Leads, and the postgame parties that follow, have been rare of late. In a skid that included a 30-inning scoreless streak, the Yankees had been ahead at the conclusion of only one inning: the fourth inning on Wednesday.

That changed with Grisham’s two-run shot off Tyler Anderson, plus Goldschmidt’s drive inside the left-field foul pole.

“I know the results haven’t been there, but I didn’t feel like we really tried to do anything different,” Goldschmidt said. “The margins are so thin in this game, the margins between a homer and an out to the warning track.”

Though manager Aaron Boone said earlier in the week he sensed his club trying too hard to change the narrative, that doesn’t apply for the easy-going Grisham – Boone joked that he might be incapable of “pressing.”

“You ever seen him go get a fly ball, or hit a homer, flip his bat and catch the barrel?” Boone said. “He doesn’t know [how to] press.”

Grisham, whose 14 homers are three shy of a career high set in 2022 with San Diego, said that mindset isn’t accidental.

“This game, over 180 days, will beat you up,” Grisham said. “That was something that was taught to most of us when we were younger, coming up through the Minor Leagues. I don’t think you really understand it until you get to this level.

“But when you get to a team like this, with a bunch of veteran guys around, seeing the way they lead and the way they’re consistent day in and day out – it rubs off on guys.”

Carlos Rodón had enough support, pitching through three solo homers to earn the win in a gritty six-inning effort. Limiting damage has been Rodón’s key over the past year-plus; solo shots may sting, but they’re survivable.

Mike Trout, Jo Adell and Taylor Ward all homered off Rodón, who permitted just one other hit – a Christian Moore infield single – as he struck out seven with one walk.

“They gave me a cushion to work with, and it was just enough,” Rodón said. “Three solo shots; I want to be in a better place with those pitches, so there’s stuff to work on this week. But all in all, we won the game.”

Rodón also regrouped after appearing to ring up Adell on a fourth-inning strikeout; Adell even walked toward his dugout, only for first-base umpire Bill Miller to rule there’d been no swing. Rodón navigated that inning scorelessly, rather than letting it unravel.

“It is what it is,” Rodón said, with a chuckle. “Just keep going, you know?”

Perhaps the clearest sign that the Yankees’ fortunes may be shifting came in the eighth inning, when Nolan Schanuel ripped a liner destined for center field. Jonathan Loáisiga stabbed at it, seeing his glove fall to the infield grass, and the ball kicked to DJ LeMahieu at second base for an improbable putout.

After initially reacting as though he had struck out on what was ruled a foul ball, Judge roped a double to spark a two-run eighth inning, the captain’s first extra-base hit since his game-tying home run Friday off Garrett Crochet at Fenway Park.

Goldschmidt said he hopes it’s a sign of something more.

“He’s so good. He’s the best I’ve ever seen,” Goldschmidt said of Judge. “Regardless of if he’s had a bad game or two in a row, he’s going to be the same guy. He’s going to go out there and compete, and he’s always got a chance to leave the yard. When he gets hot, watch out.”