10th Yankee reaches 10-plus HRs to sink M's

SEATTLE -- The Yankees have a legitimate chance of hitting more homers than any other team in history, and some of that muscle appeared at an opportune moment on Saturday evening. Austin Romine belted a tiebreaking home run to support Lance Lynn's solid start as the Yankees defeated the Mariners, 4-2, at Safeco Field.
Romine's career-high 10th homer made him the 10th Yankee to reach double digits, one shy of a Major League record shared by four clubs, including last year's World Series champion Astros. The seventh-inning blast came off reliever Nick Vincent after Andrew McCutchen opened the night with his second homer in as many games, off starter Félix Hernández.
"It's fun to help contribute," Romine said. "Every time you get in this game, you want to help contribute for this team, whenever it is or however it is. We've got some boys that can put some balls in the seats, and it's fun to be a part of that."
The Yankees have 232 home runs, closing in on the record of 264 set by the 1997 Mariners. No other Major League club has hit 200 home runs this season; the Dodgers are second with 198. Saturday marked the Yankees' 68th multihomer game of 2018, compared with 74 games in which they have hit zero or one homer.
"We've gotten production from a lot of different places, maybe some we didn't even expect coming into the year," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "Guys have had to play more. Young guys have taken over significant roles. The fact that we've gotten production from everywhere is a big reason we're having a strong year."

Mike Zunino cracked a third-inning homer off Lynn, but the veteran right-hander snapped a string of four subpar efforts by limiting the Mariners to Dee Gordon's fifth-inning RBI single the rest of the way. Lynn picked up his second win as a Yankee, exiting after six innings having allowed two runs on three hits. He walked none and struck out two.
"Most of it was just in my mind, telling myself not to do too much," Lynn said. "I think when runners start getting on, I try to make the perfect pitch or try to do too much and strike everybody out. Tonight it was literally make the next pitch, stay within yourself, do what you have to do to put it where you need to. I was able to do that, for the most part."

Hernandez settled down after allowing McCutchen's 17th homer, his second with the Yankees. Brett Gardner walked and stole second to open the fifth, with Hernandez lifted after issuing another free pass. The Mariners later announced that Hernandez, who is winless in 10 appearances since June 30, departed with right hamstring tightness.
Giancarlo Stanton greeted Shawn Armstrong with a sacrifice fly to deep right field. Hot-hitting rookie Gleyber Torres added a sac fly off Ryan Cook in the ninth, offering insurance for Dellin Betances, who loaded the bases before notching his third save.
"He's been doing this for a long time," Romine said of Betances' nail-biter. "There's a calmness about him that I never felt it was out of hand. Even though you get the bases loaded, I still think he was executing his slider very well."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Mighty bullpen:Zach Britton and David Robertson pitched a scoreless inning apiece before Betances made the Yankees sweat in the ninth. Mitch Haniger roped a leadoff double and Betances hit Robinson Canó with one out before walking Nelson Cruz. A small cut on Betances' right ring finger opened up during the inning, affecting the hurler's grip. Despite that, Betances struck out Denard Span and Kyle Seager to end the game.
"It's weird. It's been an ongoing thing this season," Betances said. "It's annoying. We've been trying to do the best we can, but it's so raw right now. Anytime I tap it, it starts bleeding. That's the problem. We'll continue to try to get it better, but it's tender right now."

SOUND SMART
The Yankees have hit 12 homers in five games against the Mariners this season, winning all five contests. They've outscored the M's 26-12, having won 10 of 12 meetings dating back to the start of 2017.

HE SAID IT
"It's my plate. I don't care what stadium we're in. I'm the catcher, it's my plate. He's got to go through me, and he would try." -- Romine, on how he would have reacted if his brother, Andrew, had tried to score as a pinch-runner in the ninth inning
UP NEXT
CC Sabathia (7-6, 3.54) will try to finish this leg of the Yankees' three-city trip on a positive note as they conclude their series with the Mariners at 4:10 p.m. ET. Sabathia took his second straight loss last time out, allowing four runs in 3 1/3 innings to the Athletics in Oakland. He is 10-1 with a 2.08 ERA in 14 career starts at Safeco Field. Erasmo Ramírez (2-3, 5.56) is scheduled to start for Seattle.