Yankees sweep Phillies as DJ LeMahieu hits grand slam, drives in six runs

PHILADELPHIA – There are few players in Major League Baseball more respected among those who have shared a clubhouse with him than DJ LeMahieu.

Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado, an eight-time All-Star who played alongside LeMahieu when both were with the Rockies, to this day ranks LeMahieu among the best teammates he’s ever had, a sentiment shared in the Yankees clubhouse where the veteran enjoys universal admiration.

And so it would not be a stretch to say LeMahieu’s performance Wednesday afternoon was celebrated in the Yankees dugout as much as anyone’s this season.

LeMahieu, relegated to reserve status because of a season that started with injury and has been defined by underperformance, drove in a career-high six runs, four coming on a second-inning grand slam that sported Nestor Cortes an early cushion, in a 6-5 victory over the Phillies that completed a three-game sweep and gave the suddenly surging Yankees a five-game winning streak.

“Everyone in here loves him,” first-year Yankee Alex Verdugo said. “He goes about his business the right way, a true professional, a great teammate. He’s been such a great player for so many years, you know it’s always in there for him.”

Said Cortes: “He’s a professional baseball player. You look at the list of guys that go into an MLB clubhouse and are ready to play a game, there’s DJ right there at the top.”

The Yankees (65-45), who went 5-1 on this trip that started with winning two of three at Fenway Park against the Red Sox, are off Thursday before opening a three-game series at the Stadium Friday against the Blue Jays, sellers at the trade deadline as they’re mired in last place in the AL East.

The 36-year-old LeMahieu, who last started a game July 24, came into Wednesday hitting .173 with one homer, 13 RBIs and a .480 OPS.

“He has struggled,” GM Brian Cashman said before the game during a conference call discussing his trade-deadline moves. “He’s fighting through it.”

LeMahieu, getting the start at first in place of rookie Ben Rice against Phillies lefthander Cristopher Sanchez, came out swinging. His second-inning grand slam made it 4-0.

“It’s been a tough go for me,” said LeMahieu, who added later he’s used his time out of the lineup working in the cage on various tweaks to his approach and believes he might have found something. “But today felt good. It’s good to help our team. To help us is a good feeling for sure.”

After the Phillies (65-43) pulled within 4-3 in the fifth, LeMahieu’s two-out, two-run double in the sixth made it 6-3.

Cortes, the subject of trade rumors before Tuesday’s deadline, retired the first nine batters he faced before allowing three runs, three hits and two walks over 5 1/3 innings in which he struck out six.

Luke Weaver came on with one out and none on in the sixth and allowed an Alex Bohm triple and Nick Castellanos' RBI groundout that made it 6-4.

Mark Leiter Jr., who made his Yankees debut Tuesday after arriving in the third inning of that night’s game, gave up a double to Bohm and an RBI single to Castellanos in the eighth to make it 6-5, then loaded the bases with two outs. Leiter, showing some of the swing-and-miss stuff the Yankees hoped he would provide, struck out Brandon Marsh swinging at a splitter to end the inning.

Clay Holmes, who blew his MLB-leading eighth save Tuesday night but whom Cashman endorsed before the game, did not have a promising start to his ninth.

He allowed a sharp single to Kyle Schwarber and saw Austin Hays fly to Verdugo on the track in left. Holmes settled quickly, getting Bryce Harper to hit into a game-ending 4-6-3 double play for the closer’s 22nd save in 30 chances.

“Definitely,” Holmes said of returning to the mound so soon after Tuesday night’s blown save (the Yankees still won the game in 12 innings). “You always want to get back out there. Nice to come back out today after being picked up last night and secure this win and the sweep.”

A sweep that has the Yankees rolling again after over a month of mostly poor play.

“Feels a little bit better but we also know we’re a long way from where we want to be and the finish line,” Aaron Boone said. “We’ll really enjoy this off day and get ready for a big homestand, a long homestand, and hopefully continue to move the needle forward.”