Yankees launch six homers, use nine-run third inning to rout Nationals and secure sweep

The Yankees tromped the Washington Nationals 11-2 on Wednesday afternoon in the Bronx. 

New York secured the three-game series sweep and has now won four in a row. 

Here are some takeaways…

– The Yankees took full advantage of this three-game set with the lowly Nationals pitching staff, getting their bats back into a groove. They outplayed them from beginning to end, putting up double-digit runs twice, including in Wednesday afternoon's blowout series finale. 

– Trent Grisham's leadoff homer set the tone in what ended up being a complete shellacking in the Bronx. Grisham turned on a third pitch fastball from Cade Cavalli and lifted it over the short porch to build on his new career-high of 26 long balls on the season.

– The biggest blow, though, came in a monster third inning that lasted a total of 45 minutes. Aaron Judge (two-run) and Cody Bellinger (solo) went back-to-back to get things started, Jasson Dominguez had a pair of run-scoring hits (double, single), Ryan McMahon lifted a three-run shot, and Ben Rice a solo blast.

Rice finished the day 3-for-4 with the homer and two singles, continuing his red hot month of August. 

Judge (41), Grisham (26), and Bellinger (25) are just the second Yankee outfield trio with 25+ HR in a season.

– Austin Wells got in on the fun as well, lifting New York's sixth home run of the game leading off the bottom of the fourth. While the other four were good to see as well, it was certainly encouraging for him and McMahon to be able to snap out of their funks at the plate. 

– After being handed the early cushion, Max Fried was able to build off his success from his last time out facing a familiar opponent. He was extremely efficient, retiring the first 11 Nationals hitters he faced before issuing a two out walk to Riley Adams in the top of the fourth.  

Fried worked around another walk in the fifth, before allowing his first hit of the game in the sixth. Three straight singles from Washington broke up the no-hitter and shutout, but the lefty escaped without further damage thanks to a strikeout and double play. 

Josh Bell lofted a two out single to right, but Fried struck out Brady House looking to end his day on a positive note and close his final line with just the one run allowed on four hits and two walks while punching out six. 

– Paul Blackburn put the finishing touches on this one, only giving up a double and solo homer over the final two innings.

– Anthony Volpe continues to struggle mightily at the plate. His well-struck lineout stranded the bases loaded in the bottom of the first. He then made two of the team's three outs in the nine-run third, lining out again with a man in scoring position, and later striking out with the bases loaded to end the inning.

The youngster grounded out to short in the fifth, and struck out swinging in the eighth to finish 0-for-4.

Volpe was the only Yankee who didn't reach base on the afternoon, stranding seven men. He is now an ugly 1-for-38 over his last 11 games, bring his average down to .204 on the season to go along with a .662 OPS. 

Game MVP: The third inning

I know, I know that isn't a player. 

This was a complete shellacking from the Yanks offense from top-to-bottom, and they put it away for good with the nine-run marathon frame. 

Highlights

What's next

The Yanks start a seven-game road trip with a meeting with the White Sox on Thursday at 7:40 p.m.

Will Warren (7-6, 4.47 ERA) will toe the rubber for the Bombers, and Chicago hasn't announced a starter. 

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