DJ celebrates 10 years with clutch slam for NY

NEW YORK -- DJ LeMahieu celebrated a decade in the big leagues by rounding the bases for a second-inning grand slam, helping to lead the Yankees to a contentious 7-5 victory over the White Sox on Saturday afternoon at Yankee Stadium.

With his service-time odometer officially having clicked over to a 10th season, LeMahieu launched a Dallas Keuchel cutter into the right-field seats, marking his third homer of the season and his second career slam. It was the first grand slam hit by a Yankee this year.

“It’s hard to wrap my mind around 10 years,” LeMahieu said. “If you would have told me that 10 years ago, I would have been pretty shocked. I guess if you have 10 years, have a good game and get a win, you can’t ask for much more.”

Now 33, LeMahieu made his Major League debut with the Cubs on May 30, 2011 vs. Houston, when he entered a 12-7 Chicago loss as a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning at Wrigley Field.

A three-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glove Award winner and two-time batting champion, LeMahieu has hit 49 home runs as a Yankee (in 381 games), matching his home run total over his first 955 Major League games with the Cubs and Rockies.

“There’ve been a lot of guys joining the 10-year club for us this year. It’s a big deal,” manager Aaron Boone said. “I think it speaks to people’s talent, professionalism, toughness. DJ embodies all of that, and he’s still got a lot of years in front of him.”

On a steamy afternoon in which the Bombers’ Josh Donaldson was involved in a pair of dustups with Chicago shortstop Tim Anderson and catcher Yasmani Grandal, LeMahieu’s season-high four RBIs helped New York improve its record to a Major League-best 29-10. The Yanks have won 22 of their last 26 games.

“I thought we had good at-bats today, all day, really,” LeMahieu said. “I just had a big swing there. Just keep the line moving; I happened to put a good swing on it and put it out.”

Mr. Holmes, I presume?
Clay Holmes tossed 1 1/3 innings to record his fourth career save, extending his scoreless streak to 21 innings -- a career best for the sinkerballing right-hander, and the longest in the Majors this year. Holmes fanned two in a 14-pitch appearance, including striking out Yasmani Grandal to end the game.

“I know where my sinker and slider need to be,” Holmes said. “It’s just a matter of executing those. Sometimes things go your way and the results are there. For me, it’s just really honing that process and making sure that I’m really doing the things that I know will make me successful. If I’m doing those, the outcome is probably going to be better, more times than not.”

While Boone has said that he still considers left-hander Aroldis Chapman to be the Yankees’ closer, Holmes’ success has clearly elevated him in the bullpen pecking order.

“He’s been special; probably as good a reliever as there’s been in the league to this point,” Boone said. “I can’t imagine it being any better.”

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Holmes’ 21-inning scoreless streak is the longest by a Yankees reliever since David Robertson hurled 26 1/3 spotless frames from Sept. 1, 2011 through May 8, 2012. It’s the longest single-season streak since Kerry Wood pitched 23 1/3 scoreless innings from Aug. 6-Sept. 26, 2010.

“We’re clicking on all cylinders,” Holmes said. “The defense has been amazing, we’re having really good at-bats, and the pitching, we’re getting outs when we need to. It’s been a really fun thing to be a part of so far.”

Not-quite-so-nasty Nestor
It was an off afternoon for Yankees starter Nestor Cortes, who has been one of the game’s most endearing success stories in the early going this season. Chicago made the left-hander grind through five innings, knocking him for a season-high three runs -- all of which scored on José Abreu’s third-inning home run.

“The first three innings, I was scattered and couldn’t get a rhythm,” Cortes said. “I just think I wasn’t ahead in the count very often. I was either even or a little behind at times. They put good swings on me, especially with that Abreu homer.”

Despite zero walks, Cortes’ pitch count rose because Chicago generated 29 foul balls against him, plus seven strikeouts. Having entered Saturday’s contest with a sparkling 1.35 ERA, best in the Majors, Cortes departed Yankee Stadium with a no-decision but still grasping a 3-1 record and 1.80 ERA through eight starts.

“We can beat you in a lot of different ways,” Cortes said. “At times, it’s our big bats that come out and put a beating on you, but at times, it’s the bottom of the lineup that just gets on and gives guys opportunities to knock them in. And our pitching has been great.”