NEW YORK — Anthony Rizzo slugged his first home run in more than two months Sunday afternoon against the Royals, helping the Yankees complete their first series sweep in just about as long.
The first baseman took a moment to admire his no-doubt solo blast as it soared over the Yankee Stadium right field wall, then pointed with excitement towards the home dugout as he rounded the bases. The third-inning homer ended a 45-game drought for Rizzo, who went 4-for-4 in the Yankees’ 8-5 win.
The Yankees led from start to finish, scoring four first-inning runs on a two-run homer by Gleyber Torres, an RBI double by Rizzo and an RBI single by Harrison Bader. They received a second-consecutive solid start from Luis Severino, who allowed three runs and struck out five over 5.2 innings to improve to 2-4.
Rizzo, who tied a career-high with 32 home runs last season, hadn’t hit one since May 20, leaving the veteran searching for adjustments. He took swings off a tee before batting practice Friday as Yankees hitting coach Sean Casey and special advisor Nick Swisher watched on.
The long-awaited blast was the 12th home run of the season for Rizzo, who batted .173 in June and entered Sunday’s game with a .131 average in July. His four-hit performance Sunday boosted his season average from .244 to .253.
Rizzo suffered a neck injury on May 28 during a first-base collision with the Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr., causing him to leave that game and miss three more.
“I do feel like, physically, he is in a really good spot, especially with some of the things he’s had to deal with periodically with his back over the last few years,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Saturday. “I just look at it as one of those funks of a really good player that’s kind of going through it.”
Sunday marked the first series win of July for the Yankees (53-47), who had lost four games in a row before facing the Royals. It was their first sweep since winning three straight on the road against the Reds from May 19-21. The Yankees also swept the A’s earlier that month.
Severino entered Sunday’s start with a 6.66 ERA but pitched well in his previous outing, surrendering one run over six innings against the Angels. The two-time All-Star gave up a solo home run to Salvador Perez and a two-run shot to Michael Massey. Kansas City’s Freddy Fermin and Kyle Isbel added ninth-inning solo homers against Yankees reliever Ron Marinaccio.
Royals starter Jordan Lyles fell to 1-12 after giving up five runs over five innings. A two-run error by Royals first baseman Nick Pratto and a Kyle Higoshioka sacrifice fly fueled a three-run Yankees rally in the eighth inning.
Torres left in the seventh inning with left hip tightness. Bader, meanwhile, returned to the Yankees’ starting lineup for the first time since Wednesday, when he left early after a pitch hit him in the ribs. Bader played two innings Saturday as a defensive replacement.
The weekend series against the lowly Royals (28-73) followed a 1-5 road trip in which the Yankees dropped two of three to the NL-worst Rockies and got swept by the Mike Trout-less Angels.
Up next on the homestand is a two-game set against the crosstown Mets, who split a pair of games with the Yankees at Citi Field last month. The final Subway Series of the season kicks off Tuesday with Domingo German scheduled to start against the Mets’ Justin Verlander.