After a first five-round inning, the Yankees continued to accumulate early and often complete a three-game Cubs scan emphatically with an 18-4 laugh of a win Sunday afternoon in the Bronx. With eight of their starting nine taking at least one hit – and six enjoying days of hits – the Yankees (44-16) have won for the 11th time in their last 12 games. Their attack has fed them lately, scoring eight straight or more in four of their last six games – including a top 18-game season on Sunday with 17 hits for the season. Matt Carpenter, a recent addition to the lineup for an under-weather Gleyber Torres, led the attack by winning 3-for-4 with a pair of home runs, a double and seven RBIs. In 10 games since signing with the Yankees in late May after requesting his release from Rangers’ Triple-A subsidiary, veteran Carpenter has eight hits – six of which are home runs. Matt Carpenter, a recent addition to the Yankees starting lineup, has appeared twice. Corey Sipkin / New York Post For good measure, with a 13-run lead in the eighth inning, Carpenter made a diving stop at the third base to throw out a runner at the start, ending a fine day for the former Cardinal. Kyle Higashioka, another replacement for Jose Trevino (back) at the end of the starting line-up, also scored a chip in his first two home games of the year. Yankees catcher Kyle Higashioka twice made the Yankees win over the Cubs. Corey Sipkin / New York Post The Cubs’ biggest achievement at the weekend proved to be keeping the Yankees in two series up to 13 innings on Friday night. The gates opened from there, as the Yankees accumulated 26 runs in the last two games to complete the scan. Jameson Taillon was not overly sharp, but he had a huge lead on the field for most of his five seasons. The Cubs (23-36) moved away for three consecutive seven-pointers, but Taillon did his most important job: he returned to attack quickly enough in the dugout to continue to inflict more damage. The Yankees were actually a bit behind on Sunday – the only time in the series – as potential summer trade target Ian Happ pushed Taillon deep into a solo home run at the top of the first inning. However, the Cubs’ lead did not last long. Aaron Judge led the bottom of the first with a single before the Cubs’ right-hand man, Keegan Tompson, walked with three straight batters with one out to equalize the game. Isiah Kiner-Falefa then put the Yankees ahead for good with a double-run double. Yankees shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa (12) reacts after achieving a double-run double. Corey Sipkin / New York Post After a pop-up from the Cubs’ third key player, Patrick Wisdom, allowed the rally to continue, Joey Gallo scored a double with two scenarios for the 5-1 lead that knocked Thompson out of the game. Carpenter gave his first home run of the day in the second inning, a three-shot on the right field that made it 8-1. After Higashioka led in the third inning with a homer, Gallo walked in and came around to score with Giancarlo Stanton’s double RBI for a 10-1 lead. Giancarlo Stanton (27) is greeted by his teammates on the boat after scoring in the double of Isiah Kiner-Falefa (12) during the first inning. Corey Sipkin / New York Post Carpenter went deep again in the sixth inning, a two-row shot on the right field. He became the second player since 1900 to have six of his first seven hits in a season to be at home. The Yankees put another five places in the seventh inning against reassuring Sean Newcomb before the Cubs put first baseman Frank Schwindel in eighth. Higashioka greeted him with a homer that closed the scoring attack.
