Yankees crush Mariners behind Domingo German, homers | Rapid reaction

The Yankees hit four home runs and Domingo German was excellent in a 7-2 win over the Mariners at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday.

NEW YORK — The Yankees pulverized four balls well over the wall, a welcomed sign for an offense that had fallen on hard times by its own lofty standards.

More importantly, they got yet another strong showing from a starting pitcher they figured would spend most of the season in the minors.

Domingo German’s push to stay in the Yankees’ rotation long-term got another boost in a 7-2 win over the Mariners at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday night.

The right-hander gave up just two hits in a career-high seven innings

German, who also struck out nine and walked none, turned in his fourth straight start of at least six innings. In his last three starts, he’s struck out 28 and walked only two.

What it means

The win improved the Yankees to 48-22 — the best record in the majors.

They started the day tied with the Red Sox atop the American League East, despite having played four less games than them due to bad weather.

The Yankees are 15-4 over their last 19 games and are a big-league best 39-4 when allowing four or less runs in a game.

Bombs away

A pair of two-run home runs from Miguel Andujar (9) and Aaron Hicks (10) in a four-run fourth inning erased a 1-1 tie that had existed since the end of the first inning.

Giancarlo Stanton (17) made it 1-all with a blast to center field after German gave up an uneared run in the first inning. Didi Gregorius booted a Jean Segura grounder with one out, putting Dee Gordan, who doubled to start the game, in position to score on Mitch Haniger’s groundout.

After Nelson Cruz (18) tagged German for a solo homer in the seventh, Rookie of the Year candidate Gleyber Torres (14) ripped a solo homer in the eighth. It landed halfway up the bleachers in left-center field and put the Yankees up, 7-2.

Domingo on Tuesday

German was rarely in trouble. He threw 96 pitches, tied for the second most in his career. He retired 16 straight batters before Cruz’s bomb.

German has been filling in for lefty Jordan Montgomgery. The plan was for German to stick around until Montgomergy’s elbow issues subsided. But a tear was found in Montgomery’s right ulnar collateral ligament, calling for Tommy John surgery that will knock him out of the rest of this season and possibly all of 2019. 

Masahiro Tanaka’s injury (two strained hamstrings) forced the Yankees to dig deeper and bring out Double-A prospect Jonathan Loaisiga, who will start Wednesday against Felix Hernandez. Tanaka is expected to return in a couple of weeks, which should force Loaisiga back to the minors.

But if German keeps this up, he’ll be here to stay … unless the Yankees trade for starting pitching, which owner Hal Steinbrenner has called a “need.” General manager Brian Cashman has also said the team will seek another starter.

Regular left fielder Brett Gardner was out of the lineup again Tuesday. He hasn’t played since Saturday with a sore right knee. Clint Frazier started in his place, going 1-for-3 with a single.

Reliever A.J. Cole pitched the final two scoreless innings for the Yankees, striking out three.

NEXT

Wednesday: Yankees RHP Jonathan Loaisiga (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Seattle RHP Felix Hernandez (6-6, 5.44 ERA), 7:05 p.m. at Yankee Stadium.

Thursday: Yankees RHP Luis Severino (10-2, 2.09 ERA) vs. Seattle LHP James Pazos (6-1, 3.44 ERA), 1:05 p.m. at Yankee Stadium.

Brendan Kuty may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.