TAMPA — The first ball cleared the stadium, went not just beyond the left-field wall at George M. Steinbrenner Field, but beyond the second fence. Yet, it was not until two innings later that Giancarlo Stanton really hit an impressive homer.
Stanton did not get Victor Arano’s fifth-inning pitch off the sweet spot Friday night. It was far enough to the end that the bat cracked.
“Everyone else is ‘Oh my gosh’ and Stanton is looking down at the broken bat,” Yankees bench coach Josh Bard said.
The two-run homer hit a recessed advertising sign about 15 feet above the left-field fence.