Yankees win ninth straight series for the first time since 1998

Saturday’s 5-3 Yankees victory over the Red Sox marks their ninth straight series win, something they haven’t done since 1998. Add that to the news of Didi Gregorius’ impending return on Friday, and the Yanks are flying high.

Despite Domingo German’s second consecutive shaky start (3.2 innings, six hits and three earned runs — yet he did strike out eight), the Yankees rallied around another stoic effort from their bullpen to hold the line and defeat Boston, knocking them 9.5 games out of first place.

Six Yankee relievers combined to allow just four hits and no runs over 5.1 innings while striking out six and walking only two.

Buoyed by an RBI single to right field by Gio Urshela to tie the game in the bottom of the second inning; steal of the season (thus far) DJ LeMahieu, slapped a two-run single up the middle to take the early 3-1 lead.

Though German hit a wall on Saturday in the Bronx, Chad Green continued his dominance since being recalled from Triple-A Scranton on May 12. All-in-all, the Sox left 26 men on base, only further emphasizing their World Series hangover.

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In the fifth inning, with two out and one on, Gary Sanchez hit his AL-leading 18th home run. El Gary has only played in 39 of the club’s 57 games due to an April IL stint for a calf strain.

On pace for 75 home runs (that probably won’t happen), Sanchez could become just the sixth catcher in baseball history to have a 40 homer season (Johnny Bench did it twice, Roy Campanella, Todd Hundley, Javy Lopez and Mike Piazza).

At 32-10 over their last 42 contests, the Yankees haven’t been this hot since their historic 1998 World Series-winning season.

In the realm of further good news, Didi Gregorius ramped up his rehab assignment on Saturday, making a pair of superb plays at shortstop while also getting his first hit at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Scheduled to DH on Sunday, Gregorius will play two more minor league games on Tuesday and Wednesday before re-joining the Yankees in Cleveland on Friday where he’ll potentially make his season debut.