Ali Sánchez hit his first Major League home run to help the New York Yankees rally for a 9-5 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Monday evening at Rate Field.
Sánchez, a 29-year-old catcher, drove a three-run blast off Sean Newcomb in the eighth inning. The hit highlighted a late surge that overcame an early deficit and two Yankees errors.
Sánchez said he felt nothing while tracking the ball at first, then everything as he began his trot around the bases. He recalled dreaming of such a moment while playing on dusty fields in Venezuela and called the homer in a Yankees uniform especially meaningful.
Manager Aaron Boone praised Sánchez’s journey through multiple organizations before joining the Yankees on a Minor League deal this winter. Teammate Max Fried noted Sánchez’s strong defense and quality at-bats, saying the moment was well deserved.
The win came despite sloppy play, including a dropped pop-up in the ninth. Boone described it as a gritty effort while acknowledging the need for cleaner defense ahead of the August 3 trade deadline.
