CHICAGO – Juan Soto hit the first three-run home run of his career, Nestor Cortes threw seven scoreless innings and the New York Yankees defeated the Chicago White Sox 4-1 on Tuesday night to take sole control of the American League East.
Soto hit starter Jonathan Cannon (2-6) with a two-run shot to left field in the third inning and hit the other way again in the fifth with a leadoff home run. The four-time All-Star scored his 33rd run of the season in the seventh inning against left-handed reliever Fraser Ellard, pulling a drive to right that made it 4-0.
“I just worked on hitting the ball with precision,” Soto said in his postgame on-field interview on the YES Network. “Try to hit the ball, put your barrel on the ball and forget about what’s going to happen.”
With a chance to match the major league record of four home runs in a game, Soto was forced to issue a walk in the ninth inning after missing a 3-0 pitch that was just outside the strike zone.
“All three of them were pretty impressive,” New York manager Aaron Boone said. “Watching Juan, I feel like I’m watching one of the best seasons I’ve ever seen.”
Cortes (6-10), who had allowed nine hits and six earned runs in a short game against the Angels five days earlier, managed three hits and reached his season high with nine strikeouts.
“It was great,” Boone said of his starter’s performance. “I liked the way he threw the ball.”
Luis Robert Jr. thwarted New York’s attempt at a shutout with an RBI single in the eighth inning against Mark Leiter Jr. Jake Cousins, the last of the four relievers, got three outs – two with the bases loaded – for his first career save.
Fueled by Soto, the Yankees, who had lost 12-2 to the White Sox in the series opener, came back to life and took a half-game lead over second-place Baltimore, who lost to the Washington Nationals.
“It’s a tough blow every day,” Boone said of opponents preparing for Soto.
Cannon allowed five hits, walked three and had four strikeouts in 4⅔ innings. The White Sox had five hits on a night after allowing 18 hits and won 12-2. They have lost 31 of their last 36 games.
Yankees hitter Aaron Judge hit 2 for 3 with two singles and two walks, leaving him with 299 career home runs.
But the night clearly belonged to Soto.
“It’s just impressive. He waited every at-bat until he got a pitch and did a lot of damage,” said Judge, who later called Soto “the best hitter in the game.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
