CHICAGO — Nestor Cortes did what Nestor Cortes has become known to Yankees fans for: getting outs when the Yankees need them. Sunday, it was once again as a starter. Cortes recorded a quality start Sunday against a dangerous lineup as the Yankees pulled out a 5-3 win over the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field.
The Yankees (65-52) have won two straight and finished the six-game road trip 4-2, winning both series. They took both series from the White Sox this season and have won six straight series and are a season-high 13 games above .500 as they make their push for a playoff spot in these final 45 games of the regular season.
Rougned Odor hit his 14th homer of the season, a two-run shot that got the Yankees offense going in the second inning. The Yankees scored another off Lucas Giolito on Brett Gardner’s RBI double. Luke Voit hit his fifth of the season off Matt Foster in the top of the ninth, just as the Yankees think they will get first baseman Anthony Rizzo back from the COVID-19 injured list.
The Yankees made Giolito work, chasing him after just four innings. They got six hits and three walks and he struck out eight.
Cortes took the three-run lead and gave the Yankees a good chance to win.
He kept the White Sox off balance with his different looks and delivery. He used his slow delivery and he even dropped down sidearm to get some horizontal movement on his fastball.
It worked for a quality start. Cortes allowed one run and seven hits. He walked one and struck out seven. Stephen Ridings got the Yankees through the seventh thanks to a double play after a leadoff walk. He walked Cesar Hernandez to start the eighth and Boone went to Jonathan Loasisga to get them through the eighth.
For the second straight night, Boone had to go out and get his “closer,” in the final inning. On Saturday night, it was Zack Britton in the 10th. Sunday it was Lucas Luetge in the ninth. The lefty gave up a leadoff walk to Yoan Moncada and a single to Luis Robert before getting his first out. He gave up an RBI-single over Aaron Judge’s head in right field to Zack Collins.
Boone turned the final two outs to Peralta.
Peralta could not beat Tim Anderson to the bag on a groundball to first allowing another run to score in the ninth. But he got Hernandez to ground into a double play to end the game.
Cortes’ role heading down the stretch isn’t certain. Obviously, the Yankees could use him out of a bullpen that is struggling right now.
And the Yankees rotation looks like it might finally be getting healthy and back together.
Gerrit Cole comes off the COVID-19 injury list on Monday and Jordan Montgomery is scheduled to follow the next day. Corey Kluber has begun minor league rehab assignments and before he was scratched from a scheduled rehab start on Friday, Luis Severino was close to returning.
“He’s worn many hats for us, served many roles for us, and obviously done it really well and is having a great year for us,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “So he’s going to play an important role for us moving forward. It could be continuing as a starter in a number of different roles.”
In his six starts for the Yankees this season, Cortes is pitching to a 2.73 ERA.
Sunday, he gave up a solo shot to Andrew Vaughn in the sixth inning, it was the only run he allowed over six innings of work. It was just the fifth home run he has allowed in 49 1/3 innings over 14 appearances, six starts.
