Teixeira powers Yanks over Padres
SAN DIEGO -- Mark Teixeira drove in three runs with a pair of homers after Didi Gregorius hit a solo homer Sunday afternoon and as the New York Yankees defeated San Diego 6-3 at Petco Park to prevent a three-game Padres sweep.
Yankees right-hander Chad Green held the Padres to one run on three hits over six innings in his second major League start, while Gregorius's ninth homer of the season, off Padres right-handed starter Andrew Cashner, broke up a 1-1 tie in the fourth.
Teixeira made it 3-1 when he led off the eighth inning with his sixth homer of the season against Padres right-handed reliever Carlos Villanueva. The 400th homer of the Yankees first baseman's career was a high fly that landed in the short-porch seats down the right-field foul line at Petco Park.
An inning later, Teixeira drove a two-run shot 404 feet into the stands in right-center for the 42nd multi-homer game of his career. Teixeira's second homer, off right-handed Padres reliever Kevin Quackenbush, followed a run-scoring single by Brett Gardner and capped a three-run ninth inning that upped the Yankees lead to 6-1.
Cashner, who came off the disabled list Sunday morning to make his first start since June 10, suffered the loss.
Green (1-1) was officially promoted from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Sunday morning. He allowed one run -- on a second-inning homer by former Yankee Yangervis Solarte -- on three hits with eight strikeouts.
After Padres outfielder Alex Dickerson followed Solarte's fourth hit of the game with a two-run homer off Yankees reliever Anthony Swarzak, Aroldis Chapman -- topping out at 101 mph -- came on to record his 16th save.
Cashner (3-6) allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits and two walks with six strikeouts. Cashner had been sidelined since June 11 with a neck strain after missing 16 days on the disabled list in May with a hamstring strain.
The difference between Green and Cashner was an error made by Padres shortstop Alexei Ramirez on a Gregorius grounder leading off the Yankees' second.
After Gregorious reached on Ramirez's fourth error in a span of nine games, the Yankees' shortstop raced to third on the first of three hits by Aaron Hicks -- putting Yankees at first and third with no one out.
Gregorius scored the game's first run when Ronald Torreyes grounded into a double play.
Switch-hitter Solarte tied the game in the bottom of the second on a 347-foot, opposite-field drive into the first row of seats in left.
Gregorius put the Yankees back ahead at 2-1 in the fourth on a 330-foot drive to right.
The Padres wasted two golden opportunities.
A single by Wil Myers and a double by Solarte put Padres at second and third with one out in the fourth. But Alex Dickerson lined out to Green and the pitcher doubled Solarte off second to end the threat.
Matt Kemp and Solarte opened the seventh with back-to-back singles off reliever Dellin Betances. Solarte was forced at second on a grounder by Dickerson. But the left fielder stole second to again put Padres at second and third with one out. This time Betances struck out Derek Norris and Ryan Schimpf to free the runners.
The loss added to a series of statistical irregularities with the Padres, who are now 3-24 in series finales, 6-21 in day games (including 2-9 in day games at Petco Park) and 2-11 on Sundays.
NOTES: Manager Joe Girardi said Sunday that he's not sure Carlos Beltran (sore hamstring) will be ready to return to the outfield Monday when the Yankees return to American League action at the Chicago White Sox. If Beltran can't play in the outfield, the switch-hitter would be the designated hitter, keeping Alex Rodriguez out of the lineup. ... RHP Conor Mullee, who went on the disabled list Saturday after coming out of Friday night's game in San Diego with numbness in his pitching hand, will see a Yankees hand specialist Tuesday. ... INF-OF Alexi Amarista was optioned to Triple-A El Paso Sunday to clear a spot for RHP Andrew Cashner to come off the 15-day disabled list. ... 2B Cory Spangenberg and 2B Jemile Weeks will report to the Padres year-round Arizona camp Monday to ramp up rehab efforts. Spangenberg has been on the disabled list since April 20 with a quad strain. Weeks has been out since May 8 with a hamstring strain.