Gerrit Cole keeps Rays at bay as Anthony Volpe, Juan Soto spark Yankees’ offense

NEW YORK — With the Yankees looking for a win to open the second half, their ace delivered in a 6-1 victory over the Rays on Friday night.

Gerrit Cole cruised through the evening, blanking Tampa Bay for five frames before allowing a solo homer to Brandon Lowe in the sixth. Cole completed that inning without any added damage, and he also totaled six hits, one walk and eight strikeouts over 103 pitches.

Only six starts into his season following a case of elbow inflammation, Cole has now held opponents to one earned run over six innings in two straight starts after posting a similar line against Baltimore on July 12. He struck out 15 and walked two in those 12 innings.

While Cole kept the Rays at bay, the Yankees managed to put a few runs on the board after squandering opportunities in the first two innings of play.

It looked as if they might do that again in the third after their first run came on a bases-loaded, nobody-out groundout from cleanup hitter Alex Verdugo. A soft lineout from Gleyber Torres followed, but a walk to Austin Wells reloaded the bases for Anthony Volpe.

The shortstop cleared the bags with a double down the left-field line while simultaneously securing his first three-RBI game since May 7. Volpe finished the first half hitting .195/.222/.276 over his last 40 games, but he went 2 for 4 on Friday.

Juan Soto also had a huge night, recording his second four-hit game with the Yankees. The slugger’s most entertaining knock came in the fourth, when Soto and some careless defense turned a double into a Little League homer.

First, Randy Arozarena bobbled the hit off the left-field wall after trying to play the ball barehanded. He then chucked a looping throw to the infield, allowing Soto to take third base. Soto completed his trip around the bases when relay man Richie Palacios hit the runner with another errant throw. The ball ricocheted off Soto, allowing him to jog home.

Soto’s fourth hit, a double in the sixth, preceded an RBI single from Aaron Judge.

Now 59-40, the Yankees will turn to Nestor Cortes on Saturday. The lefty has struggled on the road this season, but he’s been masterful at home, recording a 1.81 ERA over 10 starts in the Bronx.

Taj Bradley will throw for the Rays. The righty has a 2.90 ERA and limited the Yankees to one run over six innings in his first start of the year on May 10.