Giancarlo Stanton highlighted his 1,700th career regular-season game by hitting a two-run homer in the sixth inning, a bases-clearing double in the third and driving in five total runs as the New York Yankees recorded a 5-1 victory over the visiting Washington Nationals on Tuesday night.
The Yankees won their third straight and for the 11th time in 16 games overall by putting together a two-out rally against Washington’s MacKenzie Gore (5-13).
Paul Goldschmidt started the rally with a double to center field ahead of walks to Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger. Stanton followed by lifting a full count curveball off the top of the left field fence for a 3-1 lead.
Stanton’s double increased his average to .354 (17-for-48) with runners in scoring position this season.
Following an infield single by Bellinger, Stanton blasted his 446th career homer when he sent a full-count slider from reliever Orlando Ribalta about halfway up the left field bleachers. It was Stanton’s fifth homer in his past seven games and the 451-foot drive was his longest this season.
It was the eighth time Stanton drove in at least five runs and first time since May 12, 2022 against the Chicago White Sox.
New York starter Luis Gil (2-1) allowed one run on five hits in five innings but walks continued to drive his pitch count up. Gil issued four walks for the third time in five starts since returning from a strained lat Aug. 3 and exited after throwing 92 pitches.
Fernando Cruz loaded the bases in his return from a strained left oblique and Tim Hill finished the sixth by getting James Wood on a groundout.
CJ Abrams had three hits for Washington, which dropped its fourth straight. Abrams hit an RBI single in the third that scored Robert Hassell III and gave the Nationals a 1-0 lead.
Abrams also was picked off first base to end the opening inning. Wood was thrown out at the plate by Bellinger’s throw from left field to end the fifth.
Gore allowed three runs on three hits in five innings. Gore struck out three, walked two and is now 1-5 since the All-Star break.
