Yankees Crush White Sox

by Paul Semendinger

June 17, 2026

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In last night's Yankees game, the Yankees continued to roll - winning 12-2

The following are some highlights and other thoughts from the game:

• The game featured two of the best pitchers in the game starting against each other: Gerrit Cole vs. Davis Martin

  
  

• The White Sox got the scoring started in the Top of the First when Andrew Benintendi hit a solo homer with two outs to put the Sox up 1-0.

• Spencer Jones tied the game up with his second big league homer in the bottom of the second inning.

• The Yankees broke the game open in the bottom of the third inning:

  • J.C. Escarra, batting left-handed had the ball hit his bat and roll down the third base line and into left field for a double.

  • Anthony Volpe grounded out to second, or would have, but inexplicably the first baseman never covered the bag and Volpe had an infield single

  • Ben Rice walked

  • Cody Bellinger hit a two-run single.

  • Paul Goldschmidt struck out

  • Jazz Chisholm walked

  • Jose Caballero hit a sacrifice fly... and the Yankees were up 5-1

• Wait. What is your definition of "broke the game open?"

• The Yankees really broke the game open in their half of the fourth inning:

  • J.C. Escarra singled

  • Anthony Volpe popped out

  • Ben Rice crushed his 20th homer of the year to score two

  • Cody Bellinger singled

  • Paul Goldschmidt hit a two-run homer

  • Jazz Chisholm singled

  • Spencer Jones walked

  • Jose Caballero struck out

  • Ryan McMahon had an rbi single

  • J.C. Escarra reached on a error (Spencer Jones scored)

  • Anthony Volpe struck out

• After four innings, the Yankees were up 11-1

• It seems that Jose Caballero's 8-second nonsense is ticking people off. I noted that a few weeks ago.

• The bottom of the fifth inning began with Joe Rock pitching to Ben Rice. That reminded me of when I used to have imaginary players on my backyard Wiffle Ball team that would play other kids' teams in the neighborhood. We had player's names that were as creative as Joe Rock and Ben Rice. (Righty Henderson and Joe Glass would be proud.)

• Gerrit Cole pitched six innings. He allowed a run in the sixth inning. He allowed two runs on three hits and two walks. He struck out six.

• The Yankees scored their 12th run on a Jose Caballero homer in the bottom of the 8th. He hit the homer off Luisangel Acuna, a position player brought in to pitch.

• I throw harder than Luisangel Acuna did last night.

• Ryan Yarbrough pitched the final three innings for the Yankees. He allowed one hit and struck out three.

• The Yankees remain in first place. They are rolling. They have won seven of their last eight games.