Gerrit Cole flirts with no-no, Yankees reach 50 wins by topping Tampa Bay

Gerrit Cole took a no-hit bid into the eighth inning, Aaron Hicks hit a tiebreaking triple in the ninth as Manuel Margot slammed into the right-field wall, and the New York Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays, 4-2, for their 50th win.

New York has won 17 of its last 19 games, and its 50-17 start is the best in the major leagues since the 2001 Seattle Mariners. The Yankees opened a 14-game lead over Tampa Bay in the AL East, which slipped a half-game behind the Red Sox.

Cole struck out 12 and walked three, allowing one run and one hit in 7⅓ innings. Cole struck out six in a row at one point and led, 2-0, when Isaac Paredes grounded a slider on his 105th pitch off the mound and into center field. On June 3, Cole pitched 6⅔ perfect innings at Detroit.

Anthony Rizzo hit a first inning home run off Shane McClanahan, and the Yankees got a run in the seventh on an error by first baseman Ji-Man Choi, the major league-high 45th unearned run allowed by the Rays.

Wandy Peralta pitched the ninth for his second save, and the Yankees improved to 6-2 against the Rays this season, striking out Josh Lowe with two on and retiring Francisco Mejía on a flyout.

Rays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier left the game after two innings with left hip inflammation.

White Sox get back Tim Anderson, keep Blue Jays reeling Andrew Vaughn matched a career high with four hits, including a solo homer, and the White Sox celebrated Tim Anderson’s return with an 8-7 victory over the Blue Jays in Chicago.

Luis Robert and Josh Harrison also homered as Chicago opened a seven-game homestand with its fifth win in seven games. Adam Engel and Reese McGuire each drove in a run.

Anderson had two hits in his first big league game since May 29. He was activated from the 10-day injured list after being sidelined by a strained right groin.

Toronto lost for the fourth time in five games. Raimel Tapia and Cavan Biggio each hit a two-run homer for the Blue Jays, but José Berríos (5-3) was tagged for six runs and nine hits in four innings. 

Biggio’s first homer of the season trimmed Chicago’s lead to one run in the ninth. But Joe Kelly then retired George Springer and Bo Bichette to close out his first save this season.