Die Saalfelds » The teenage rookie homered twice and drove in four runs

Juan Soto is barely old enough to be in college Zach Brown Jersey , let alone lighting it up at Yankee Stadium.
becoming the youngest player in 29 years to go deep in a regular-season game in the Bronx, and the Washington Nationals beat New York 5-4 on Wednesday night.

After getting a game off Tuesday, his first in three-plus weeks as a major leaguer, a refreshed Soto showed exactly why he was rated one of baseball’s best prospects.

”I’ll start off by saying, Soto is really good. How’s that?” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. ”He understands the game. He understands good at-bats.”

With family from New York in the crowd of 45,030, the 19-year-old outfielder from the Dominican Republic lofted a three-run homer into the left-field corner off Sonny Gray in the fourth inning to give Washington – shut out in its previous two games – a 4-3 lead.

Soto then launched a titanic shot in the seventh against Chasen Shreve (2-1), putting the Nationals back in front 5-4.

Projected at 436 feet, the drive soared to the back of a standing-room terrace above and beyond the Yankees’ bullpen in right-center. It also ended a 23-inning scoreless streak for New York relievers and made Soto (19 years, 231 days old) the youngest player in Nationals history to have a multihomer game.

”Strong kid Kyler Murray Jersey ,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.

Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. was 19 years, 190 days old when he homered (also twice) for Seattle at old Yankee Stadium on May 30, 1989. Andruw Jones was 19 as well when he hit two home runs there for Atlanta in Game 1 of the 1996 World Series.

”It feels pretty good. Two good outfielders,” Soto said. ”I like that.”

Called up from Double-A Harrisburg on May 20, Soto is batting .344 with five homers and 12 RBIs.

”He has power. Super young. Good hitter,” Shreve said. ”I didn’t do my job. We lost the game because of it.”

New York got a long home run from its own impressive rookie, 21-year-old Gleyber Torres, to tie it at 4 in the fifth. Greg Bird also hit a solo homer and Giancarlo Stanton had three hits for the Yankees, including an RBI single.

Adam Eaton and Matt Adams had three hits apiece for the Nationals, who made five outs on the bases but still won to split the two-game interleague series between World Series contenders. The teams meet again next Monday in Washington to complete a May 15 matchup suspended with the score tied 3-all in the sixth inning and to make up a May 16 rainout.

Justin Miller (4-0) struck out four in 1 2/3 innings on his 31st birthday.

”Pretty nice,” Miller said. ”I guess I’m just in the weeds – I keep snaking wins.”

Sammy Solis knocked down Brett Gardner’s comebacker with a runner on third for the final out of the seventh. Ryan Madson pitched out of trouble in the eighth and Sean Doolittle worked a perfect ninth for his 17th save in 18 chances.

New York lost for only the fifth time in its last 23 home games.

Nationals rookie Erick Fedde allowed four runs and six hits in five innings. Pitching in place of injured ace Stephen Strasburg Byron Murphy Jersey , the right-hander was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse before the game to make his fifth major league start and second this season.

AGE IS ONLY A NUMBER

Soto became the youngest big leaguer with a multihomer game in the regular season since Jones against Cincinnati in August 1996 – and the youngest player with four RBIs since Hall of Famer Robin Yount was 19 for Milwaukee in 1975. ”It’s unbelievable, honestly,” Fedde said. ”Special kid and I’m excited to play with him hopefully for the next couple of years.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Nationals: As expected, Bryce Harper was back in the lineup after leaving Tuesday night’s loss in the eighth inning when he was hit by a pitch for the second time. The slugger was plunked on the right elbow and left foot but said afterward he was fine and there were ”no ill feelings at all.” Washington pitchers made no apparent attempt to retaliate Wednesday. Harper went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts. … Daniel Murphy (right knee surgery) was the DH again after going hitless Tuesday in his season debut. ”He’s ready to play, so we’re going to play him. Nice to have that bat in the lineup,” Martinez said. Murphy went 0 for 3 with a walk. … Strasburg (right shoulder inflammation) is working out back home, Martinez said.

Yankees: Slumping catcher Gary Sanchez sat out for the second consecutive game, with backup Austin Romine catching Gray as usual. After a three-day breather, Sanchez will be back in the lineup Thursday, Boone said.

UP NEXT

Nationals: Following a day off, Washington resumes its AL East road trip in Toronto with LHP Gio Gonzalez (6-2 Andy Isabella Jersey , 2.65 ERA) pitching Friday night against RHP Aaron Sanchez (3-5, 4.33).

Yankees: Still looking for his first major league win, rookie right-hander Domingo German (0-4, 5.32 ERA) starts Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series against Tampa Bay. LHP Blake Snell (8-3, 2.30) goes for the Rays.

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Houston has arguably the best overall pitching staff in the major leagues but has run into a big problem because of injury.

The Astros are struggling to find someone to handle those standout pitchers after losing another catcher in their 5-3 victory over the Texas Rangers on Tuesday.

The Astros will send right-hander Garrit Cole (9-2, 2.50 ERA) to the mound for the Independence Day, Lone Star State showdown at Globe Life Park in Arlington while the Rangers counter with left-hander Mike Minor (6-4, 4.64).

Houston’s catching situation took a turn for the worst Tuesday when Max Stassi was forced from the game against Texas in the first inning after he was hit on the right wrist by a pitch.

Stassi’s injury comes on the same day veteran catcher Brian McCann met with team medical director Dr. David Lintner ahead of having surgery on his right knee. The Astros placed McCann on the disabled list Tuesday with a sore right knee for the second time this season and recalled catcher Tim Federowicz from Triple-A Fresno.

Federowicz took over for Stassi, who entered Tuesday’s game batting .255 with seven homers and 22 RBIs.

Houston manager A.J. Hinch wouldn’t say what type of surgery McCann would undergo and when the procedure would take place, but admitted that the Astros without McCann, their front-line backstop Zach Allen Jersey , “for the foreseeable future.”

“We don’t know other than he’s heading for surgery and we’ll have a better timetable once he sees Dr. Lintner and goes through the medical process,” Hinch told mlb.com. “We had a long conversation in Tampa (over the weekend), and it’s continually the same issue over and over with his right knee. One of the options is surgery, and he went back to Houston to take care of it.”

Texas right-handed reliever Chris Martin was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock on Tuesday prior to the club’s series opener against the Astros. The move made room on the 25-man roster for first baseman Ronald Guzman, who returned from the seven-day concussion disabled list.

Rangers manager Jeff Banister said Martin’s demotion was to create bench depth

“Chris hadn’t done anything to warrant being optioned,” Banister said. “He’s got options. Obviously, he’s pitched well for us in the bullpen. However, you’ve got to be able to protect some of the other players on the team, too.”

Banister told mlb.com that Guzman passed the concussion protocol three days after he was placed on the disabled list. “Ronals was a full-go, as far as baseball activities are concerned,” he said.

The Astros have shuffled their rotation for this week to give Lance McCullers Hakeem Butler Jersey , Jr. and Charlie Morton some additional rest. McCullers was originally scheduled to start Wednesday against the Rangers.

Cole makes his first start in July after going 4-1 with a 3.41 ERA in six June starts, posting a 1.11 WHIP and 42 strikeouts in 37 innings. The Astros are 14-3 in games started by Cole, who is looking to reach double digits in wins.

Minor has been one of the Rangers’ best starters of late. He was 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA in four June starts. Minor is 4-2 with a 3.44 ERA in nine home starts this season.

Minor is 1-2 with a 5.06 ERA in nine games (six starts) versus Houston, including 0-1, 5.74 in three starts this season.

Cole is 3-0 with a 1.33 ERA in four starts against Texas, including 2-0, 1.80 in three turns this year.