NEW YORK — Matt Carpenter got a chance to play Sunday when Gleyber Torres came down with a stomach illness. Like he did when he arrived at the visitors clubhouse in Tampa after signing with the Yankees and was rushed into the lineup, the veteran infielder made the most of the opportunity. He had three hits, including two home runs, and drove in seven runs in the Yankees 18-4 blowout of the Cubs at the Stadium.
The Yankees (43-16) have won four straight and 11 of their last 12 games. It was the seventh time they have swept a series having already assured their 15th series win with Saturday night’s win. The Yankees maintain the best record in the major leagues.
The Bombers showed off their major-league leading offense Sunday. They scored a season-high 18 runs on a season-high 17 hits, including four home runs.
Carpenter, who played in the field for the first time since joining the Yankees May 26, hit a 403-foot three-run shot in the second inning off Daniel Norris. He had a two-run, 399-foot shot in the sixth off Alec Mills. In 23 at-bats, Carpenter has seven hits and six of them are home runs. He is the second player since 1900 to have six home runs in the first seven hits with a team. Trevor Story also did it in 2017 with the Rockies.
Carpenter also had a ground ball double Sunday and a bunt single coming into the game.
After needing 13 innings to beat them Friday night in a 2-1 game, the Yankees rolled on to score 26 runs over the next two. They hit 11 home runs, a season-high six Saturday night and then got two from Carpenter and Kyle Higashioka homered twice, his first of the season, in Sunday’s blow out. They lead the majors in home runs with 97 home runs. No other team has broken the 85-homer mark yet this season.
Higashioka, who hit 10 home runs last season, went 100 plate appearances (89 at-bats) without a homer this season. His second home came with first baseman Frank Schwindel pitching, on a 35.1 mile an hour lobbed ball. The catcher was also not in the original lineup Sunday morning, ceding time to Jose Trevino, who has been hitting .440 with five home runs in his last 18 games. Trevino was scratched with a back issue.
They allowed just five runs over 31 innings, having posted a shutout on Saturday. Through 60 games, the Yankees pitching staff has allowed a major-league best 180 runs. They are the only staff in the big leagues to allow fewer than 200 runs at this point.
Sunday, Jameson Taillon gave the Yankees five innings. He scattered seven hits and walked one. He struck out five. Manny Banuelos allowed a run in three innings of work.
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