Stanton goes deep, Judge also backs Brito as Yanks blank SF
NEW YORK (AP) — Giancarlo Stanton smashed a titanic home run, Aaron Judge also went deep and Jhony Brito won his brilliant major league debut as the New York Yankees beat the San Francisco Giants 6-0 on Sunday.
Kyle Higashioka also homered off Ross Stripling, who served up all three long balls in his first start for San Francisco. New York took two of three in the initial series of the season.
Brito (1-0) yielded only two hits — one a bunt single — over five impressive innings. He struck out six and walked one, showcasing a polished changeup to put away batters.
With projected starters Carlos Rodón, Luis Severino and Frankie Montas sidelined by injuries, the 25-year-old right-hander from the Dominican Republic won a spot in New York’s rotation with a strong spring that included 5 1/3 perfect innings against Toronto his last time out.
Brito went a combined 11-4 with a 2.96 ERA at Double-A and Triple-A last season.
Stripling (0-1) escaped a bases-loaded jam in the first, but Judge lined his second home run of the season to left field in the third.
Anthony Rizzo followed with a sharp single and Stanton launched a 485-foot drive to nearly straightaway center field that soared way over the tinted restaurant windows above Monument Park. The ball even cleared the camera perch above that and landed on a pedestrian walkway in front of a bar.
Stanton lingered a bit to admire the 118-mph drive and then tossed his bat aside to round the bases. It was his second-longest home run since Statcast began tracking in 2015, behind a 504-foot shot at Coors Field in August 2016, and the third-longest at Yankee Stadium during that time, behind two homers by Judge in 2017 that surpassed 490 feet.
Stanton grounded into a game-ending double play with the bases loaded in a 7-5 loss Saturday.
Higashioka connected leading off the fourth against Stripling, who gave up four runs and six hits in five innings. The right-hander won 10 games with a 3.01 ERA for Toronto last season before signing a $25 million, two-year contract with the Giants.
New York added two runs in the seventh without a hit, thanks in large part to three walks and three wild pitches by 6-foot-11 reliever Sean Hjelle. Rizzo drove in rookie Anthony Volpe with a sacrifice fly.
Ron Marinaccio put down a San Francisco threat in the sixth and struck out the side in the seventh. Colten Brewer worked two hitless innings in his Yankees debut to finish the three-hitter.
New York improved to 29-2, including the playoffs, when Judge and Stanton homer in the same game.
NEW POSITION
Isiah Kiner-Falefa had no trouble in center field for the Yankees — his first major league appearance in the outfield. Kiner-Falefa was New York’s primary shortstop last season but was shaky in the field and provided little offense. He has been moved to a utility role this year.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Giants: Placed catcher Joey Bart on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to March 31, with a strain in the middle of his back. “We don’t expect it to be a long-term thing,” manager Gabe Kapler said. “We discussed the possibility of like, seven days. Maybe a few more.” Hjelle was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento.
Yankees: RHP Tommy Kahnle (biceps tendinitis) will probably start playing catch in the next couple of days, manager Aaron Boone said. … INF DJ LeMahieu was rested.
UP NEXT
Giants: RHP Anthony DeSclafani starts Monday afternoon against White Sox RHP Michael Kopech in Chicago’s home opener. San Francisco plays nine straight day games to begin the season.
Yankees: All-Star LHP Nestor Cortes gets his first start of the season Monday night at home against NL champion Philadelphia. RHP Taijuan Walker makes his Phillies debut.
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Credit: Stanton goes deep, Judge also backs Brito as Yanks blank SF
