Franchy Cordero blast sets tone as Yankees clobber Guardians

CLEVELAND — Gerrit Cole quickly settled in after a rough first inning.

The Yankees’ offense was fairly settled in from the start.

Behind Franchy Cordero’s third home run of the road trip — this one a three-run shot that keyed a five-run third — the Yankees rebounded from Monday night’s hideous loss to post an 11-2 victory over the Guardians in front of 20,164 at Progressive Field on Tuesday.

The Yankees (7-4), now 3-2 on this six-game trip that started with a series win in Baltimore, outhit the Guardians (7-5), 13-7.

“Hitting’s so contagious,” Anthony Rizzo said. “Especially with this group.”

In addition to the blast by Cordero, who was cut by the Orioles on March 28 after an excellent spring camp at the plate and scooped up by New York one day later, the Yankees also received two hits and two RBIs from Rizzo and RBI singles from Jose Trevino and Willie Calhoun. Aaron Judge had two hits to extend his career-best on-base streak to 44 games and Aaron Hicks added two hits, as well.

One side note to watch for the series finale is the condition of Gleyber Torres. The second baseman, who went 1-for-4 with a walk and is hitting .371 with an 1.179 OPS, was removed in the ninth inning with what Aaron Boone said was “tightness” in his groin area. No tests are scheduled but Boone said he may rest the 26-year-old Wednesday afternoon.

Cordero  has 10 RBIs through his first six games in pinstripes, tied for the most in franchise history (since 1903) with Robin Ventura in 2002.

“It’s amazing to contribute every time I’m in there seeing action in a game,” Cordero said through his interpreter. “To be able to contribute to this team is great.”

Cordero, now 6-for-21 (.286) with an 1.110 OPS, said “confidence” is the No. 1 reason. It is a far cry to this point from many of his previous three stops in the big leagues, most recently last season with the Red Sox when Cordero, an immensely popular player in every clubhouse he’s been in, hit .219 with eight homers and 29 RBIs in 84 games.

“Just really believing [in myself], getting an opportunity to play,” Cordero said. “Very happy I’m getting the results I am right now.”

Cole allowed two first-inning runs but nothing else in seven innings, improving to 3-0 with a 1.40 ERA in three starts. The righthander, who didn’t have his usual swing-and-miss stuff against a Cleveland team that excels at putting the ball in play, allowed five hits and two walks over seven innings in which he struck out three. Cole has 22 strikeouts in 19 1/3 innings this season.

“I thought location overall was pretty good, I thought the stuff was a bit down for whatever reason, especially the fastball,” Cole said, comparing his stuff Tuesday night to his first two starts. “But the breaking balls were good. And then we spotted the fastball when we needed to as the game went on. And I thought it actually got better.”

Seven pitches into Cole’s night, he was down 1-0 on Jose Ramirez’s RBI double and 11 pitches in, it was 2-0 on Josh Naylor’s sacrifice fly.

The offense took it from there against wildly overmatched Cleveland righthander Hunter Gaddis (eight runs, eight hits and two walks in three innings).

Oswaldo Cabrera, getting the start at short with Anthony Volpe sitting for the first time this season, singled with one out in the second inning and came in later in the inning on Trevino’s RBI single.

The offense blew it open in the third, highlighted by Calhoun’s RBI single, Cabrera’s sacrifice fly and Cordero’s homer, which came on a first-pitch changeup, making it 6-2.

“Big thump,” Cole said of Cordero’s bat in general. “Just a good dude, great vibes. Positive, plays hard and lays the wood. It’s been fun to watch.”