Yankees split doubleheader against White Sox after starter Randy Vasquez gets first career win – The Denver Post

The Yankees split a doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox Thursday after Randy Vasquez gave the Bronx Bombers a two-hit performance.

Vasquez led his team to 3-0 victory after pitching 5.2 scoreless innings. He allowed two hits, no runs, one walk and struck out three batters.

“A lot of work throughout my baseball career to get to this point,” Vasquez said through a translator after the game.

Ron Marinaccio and Clay Holmes pitched 3.1 hitless innings in relief to secure the shutout. Vasquez’s win is the first of his career and Holmes recorded his seventh save of the season.

Marinaccio threw 31 pitches in 2.1 innings of work, which is the longest outing of the season for the 27-year-old.

“We’re always ready down there, so nothing more than normal,” he said postgame.

Gleyber Torres and Billy McKinney provided the offense in the second game. Torres hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning and McKinney hit a solo shot in the fifth.

The shutout victory gets Aaron Boone’s club back on track after losing the first game, 6-5, under hazy conditions caused by the Canadian wildfires.

Chicago’s designated hitter Jake Burger got his team on the board first with a two-run home run in the top of the second inning off of Luis Severino.

The White Sox followed up in the third with Luis Robert Jr. and Yoan Moncada hitting solo shots to center field to make the score 4-2.

Moncada wore a neck gaiter over his nose during both games with smoky air blanketing the New York City area.

The air quality improved from Wednesday, when Major League Baseball decided to postpone the second game of the series between the two teams. At the time, the ballpark was under an orange haze and the air quality index came in at over 300, which is considered very unhealthy.

Thursday’s AQI during the start of the first game was at 156, which is considered unhealthy. The air quality slightly improved for the nightcap.

The AQI during first pitch of the second game was at 135, which is considered unhealthy for people in sensitive groups.

While down 2-0 in the bottom of the second, Kyle Higashioka’s RBI double cut the lead in half. Willie Calhoun, who hit leadoff in both games, hit a single to score Higashioka and tie the game.

Calhoun tied the game again in the fourth with a two-run shot to right field. The outfielder ended the day hitting 3-for-8 with 3 RBI.

Oswaldo Cabrera’s RBI single in the fifth gave the Yankees the lead, 5-4. It was the last run starter Lance Lynn allowed in his outing. The starter was replaced by Gregory Santos after allowing eight hits, five earned runs and three walks in five innings. The former Yankee struck out four batters.

Severino endured damage early and was pulled after five innings. He allowed six hits, four earned runs, two walks and struck out six over 86 pitches. The starter got 18 swings on his fastball, but garnered only one miss.

Severino was replaced by Jimmy Cordero. Afterwards, Wandy Peralta was called upon to get one out. Both relievers didn’t allow a hit in the sixth.

Michael King gave up a two-run homer to Eloy Jimenez to give Chicago a 7-6 lead, which eventually led to the loss.

The Yankees attempted a rally in the ninth, but Anthony Rizzo hit into a double play to end the game. Chicago’s Kendall Graveman recorded his sixth save of the season.

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