Yankees blown out by Cardinals, 14-7, lose rubber game

NEW YORK (AP) — Jordan Walker went 5-for-5, Lars Nootbaar hit a bases-clearing two-strike double in the seventh and added a two-run homer in the ninth as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Yankees 14-7 on Sunday afternoon.

Walker hit a long two-run homer in the fifth and drove in three runs. Walker had the first five-hit game by a Cardinal since Matt Carpenter in 2018 after going 1-for-8 in his first two games following his recall from Triple-A Memphis.

Nootbaar followed Walker’s fourth hit by lifting a fly ball to right field. New York’s Juan Soto appeared to struggle getting a read on the ball, ran back and the ball went over him as the Cardinals took a 10-7 lead.

Victor Scott II hit an RBI double and scored on a throwing error by reliever Phil Bickford as the Cardinals set season highs for runs and hits (21) and were 8-for-18 with runners in scoring position.

Nootbaar blasted his ninth homer after Walker opened the ninth with his fourth single.

Anthony Rizzo hit an RBI double to start a three-run fifth ahead of run-scoring singles by Alex Verdugo and Gleyber Torres. Anthony Volpe hit an RBI single and Torres lifted a tying sacrifice fly in the sixth but the Yankees lost for the fourth time in six games and gave up their most hits since allowing 24 to Cleveland on Aug. 15, 2019.

JoJo Romero (6-2) retired Soto to end the sixth and set up the big inning for the Cardinals.

Walker hit his first homer since Sept. 17, 2023 to push the St. Louis lead to 7-2. He also hit an RBI single in the second to give the Cardinals a 1-0 advantage.

Rookie Masyn Wynn hit a two-run double and Luken Baker hit a two-run homer in a four-run fourth off Nestor Cortes for the Cardinals, who were 0-7 in the regular season at Yankee Stadium before winning the final two games of the series.

Giancarlo Stanton homered and Jazz Chisholm Jr. scored on an error in the second. Aaron Judge remained at 51 homers, going homerless for the sixth straight game.

St. Louis starter Miles Mikolas allowed five runs (three earned) and seven hits in four-plus innings.

Cortes allowed five runs and nine hits in four innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: LHP Steven Matz, who last appeared April 30, was activated after completing his rehab from a back injury and could start later this week. … OF Michael Siani also was activated after missing nearly a month with a strained right oblique and will join the team Monday in Milwaukee.

Yankees: RHP Luis Gil (lower back strain) threw 80 pitches in 3 2/3 innings in a rehab game for Double-A Somerset. … RHP Clarke Schmidt (strained right lat) will pitch in Somerset’s makeup game at Binghamton on Monday. Both pitchers could return to the rotation next weekend against the Cubs in Chicago. … RHP Ian Hamilton (strained right lat) threw a bullpen session Sunday and will make a rehab appearance for Somerset Wednesday.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP Andre Pallante (6-6, 3.80 ERA) opposes RHP Freddy Peralta (9-8, 3.70) in the opener of a three-game series Monday in Milwaukee.

Yankees: RHP Gerrit Cole (5-3, 3.86) opens a three-game series in Texas Monday. The Rangers did not announce a starter.