Anderson's HR hushes Yankees, lifts White Sox to twinbill sweep
NEW YORK - Tim Anderson hit a three-run homer and then put a finger to his lips to silence fans booing and chanting "Jackie" at him, capping a tumultuous weekend at Yankee Stadium and helping the Chicago White Sox beat New York 5-0 Sunday night for a doubleheader sweep.
"What a day," White Sox manager Tony La Russa said.
A day after Anderson, who is Black, accused Yankees slugger Josh Donaldson, who is white, of making a racist remark by calling him Jackie Robinson, the All-Star shortstop didn't play in the first game. AJ Pollock hit a tiebreaking homer off Aroldis Chapman in the ninth inning as the White Sox won 3-1.
Anderson was jeered during pregame introductions and prior to each at-bat in the nightcap. He had already hit two singles when he homered over the right field wall with two outs in the eighth.
Anderson took a slow trot and put his hands to his lips in a shushing gesture as he rounded the bases. He clapped his hands several times upon crossing home plate and pointed skyward before again making a silencing motion.
After the game, Anderson declined all interview requests.
Donaldson also did not speak to reporters. Through a Yankees spokesman, Donaldson said he had not talked to Major League Baseball about the situation and didn't speak to Anderson on Sunday.
Before the five-run eighth, the story of the second game was White Sox starter Michael Kopech, who retired the first 17 batters he faced on just 60 pitches before Rob Brantly doubled.
Kopech (1-1) allowed just the 1 hit and 2 walks while striking out six over seven innings.
Yankees starter Luis Severino scattered 8 hits over seven scoreless innings. Jonathan Loaisiga (1-2) lost in relief.
Donaldson sat out the finale after going 0 for 4 but coming within a few feet of a much bigger day in the opener. With two on and two outs in the first, Donaldson lined out to third base, where Yoan Moncada - inserted into the lineup in place of Anderson - saved a run by snaring the ball at his shoetops. In the fourth, Donaldson flied out to the wall in left field.
With two on and one out in the eighth, he flied out to the track in right-center.
Aaron Judge's eighth-inning homer off Graveman cost Johnny Cueto a win in the opener. The resurgent 36-year-old righty allowed 6 hits, walked two and struck out five in his second major league outing of the season.
Liam Hendriks, who used an expletive earlier Sunday to describe how he didn't believe Donaldson's explanation that he made the "Jackie" reference as part of an inside joke with Anderson, struck out two in a perfect ninth to preserve the win for Graveman (1-1).
Hendriks pumped his fist and yelled loud enough to be heard three levels away after whiffing Jose Trevino for his 13th save.
Yankees starter Jameson Taillon allowed one run on five hits and one walk with seven strikeouts in a season-high seven innings. Chapman (0-2) took the loss.