Aaron Judge homers twice as Yankees rally past Rays

NEW YORK — As the Yankees approach a campaign quarter post, Aaron Boone gauges their performance as “incomplete,” noting that there is still plenty of road to travel. Yet they have shown one encouraging characteristic: the gritty resolve to punch back and rally from early deficits.

Aaron Judge homered twice and drove in four runs as the Yankees surged from a six-run deficit on Saturday afternoon, notching their ninth comeback victory of the season by edging the Rays, 9-8, at Yankee Stadium. Of the Bombers’ last eight wins, six have been of the come-from-behind variety.

Nestor Cortes surrendered six runs over 4 1/3 innings, including a Yandy Díaz grand slam in the fifth inning. That was when the Yanks’ bats got to work, chipping away to produce a four-run frame against Rays ace Shane McClanahan. Kyle Higashioka hit a two-run homer and Judge reached the right-field seats with his seventh blast of the year, both off McClanahan, who didn’t record an out in the fifth.

Anthony Volpe’s elite wheels sparked a five-run inning in the sixth. The rookie legged out a bunt single, stole second and third bases, then raced home on a wild pitch. Volpe is the first Yankee ever to steal his first 13 career bases without being caught. Judge’s second homer of the day came off Ryan Thompson, and Oswaldo Cabrera stroked a two-run single off Javy Guerra.

Tampa Bay kept the game close, with Randy Arozarena knocking Clay Holmes for a two-run single in the seventh.