Cole, Carpenter send Yankees over Red Sox; Sale hurt

NEW YORK (AP) — Gerrit Cole brushed back Rafael Devers and struck out 12, Matt Carpenter drove in three more runs and the New York Yankees pounded the Red Sox 13-2 Sunday after Boston ace Chris Sale broke his left pinkie finger in the first inning.

The Yankees reached double-digit runs for the 16th time — no other team has more than 10 such games — and cruised into the All-Star break with a major league-best record of 64-28. Their 64 wins matched the 2018 Astros for third-most prior to the break since the All-Star Game began in 1933.

Cole (9-2) dusted Devers off the plate with a low, 99 mph fastball on his first pitch to the third baseman after allowing two homers to him July 7 in Boston. Devers glared at Cole from the dirt, then struck out swinging at a high fastball.

Cole allowed two runs and three hits over seven innings for his fourth straight win.

Aaron Judge singled twice and finished the first half with a major league-leading 33 homers, tied with Roger Maris for the franchise record before the break. Judge reached 33 homers in 89 games while Maris hit 33 in his first 83 games in 1961 on his way to breaking Babe Ruth’s single-season record.

Judge, Anthony Rizzo and DJ LeMahieu were hit by pitches after Cole knocked down Devers. LeMahieu was in considerable pain after being hit in the left elbow during the eighth inning and left the game, but manager Aaron Boone said there wasn't an injury concern.

Carpenter had an RBI groundout in a three-run first inning and added a two-run double in an eight-run fourth. Carpenter drove in 10 runs over the final two games of the first half and has 34 RBIs in 31 games since joining the Yankees on May 26.

Tim Locastro hit a two-run homer off Jake Diekman in the fourth. On the