Sal Stewart Drives in 6 in Reds' Blowout 10-2 Win Over Yankees

That's the Sal Stewart that Cincinnati Reds fans have come to know.

Jun 20, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; Cincinnati Reds third baseman Sal Stewart (27) hits a two-run double in the third inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Yankee Stadium, even the new one, is a proving ground for any emerging star in Major League Baseball. On Saturday, Sal Stewart made his presence felt in "The House that the Boss Built" with six RBIs, including a bases-clearing double in the top of the eighth that put the game out of reach.

Stewart's big day at the plate powered the Reds to a 10-2 win over the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Saturday afternoon, evening the series at a game apiece. The Reds can win the series on Sunday at Yankee Stadium with their ace, Chase Burns, on the mound. The Reds are now 36-39 on the season.

Let's look at the takeaways from Saturday's 10-2 drubbing of the Yankees at Yankee Stadium.

Andrew Abbott Delivers Solid Outing

Jun 20, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Andrew Abbott (41) throws a pitch in the first inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Despite his pitch count rising, Abbott still pitched five innings on Saturday and kept the Yankees' lineup at bay. Abbott allowed just one run on five hits while walking three. He also struck out six batters. Of the 97 pitches he threw, 59 were for strikes.

After three straight starts in April that lasted fewer than five innings, Abbott has been rock solid over his last 10 starts. He's pitched at least five innings in each of his last 10 starts with three or fewer runs in all of them. That's a really solid stretch from the Reds' All-Star left-hander.

Offense Breaks Out

Jun 20, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; Cincinnati Reds first baseman Spencer Steer (7) hits a three-run home run in the fifth inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Stewart was the star with six RBIs on Saturday, including a bases-clearing double in the top of the eighth. But he wasn't the only one delivering a big hit at the plate.

Entering Saturday's game, Spencer Steer was just two for his last 40. On Saturday, he broke out of his slump in a big way.

Following a Stewart RBI sacrifice fly, Steer clubbed a three-run home run deep to left field that increased the Reds' lead from 3-1 to 6-1. It was Steer's 12th home run of the season, and a much-needed one at that.

The Reds fell behind 1-0 in the bottom of the first, but they battled back when Sal Stewart doubled in two runs in the top of the third. Then, the Reds broke the game open with four runs in the top of the fifth. It was the game-changing inning in a game the Reds really needed to win.

On Deck

Jun 15, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Chase Burns (26) pitches against the New York Mets in the first inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

What a pitching matchup Sunday afternoon will be. Chase Burns (8-1, 2.01 ERA) made his Major League debut last season against the Yankees. It was an electric night at Great American Ball Park, with Burns striking out the first five Yankees he faced, which included both Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. The Reds won that game 5-4 in 11 innings, with Burns finishing with eight strikeouts.

Burns faced Carlos Rodón that night. Sunday afternoon, he'll be facing one of the game's very best pitchers in Yankees right-hander Gerrit Cole. Originally a first-round draft pick by the Yankees in 2008, Cole went on to pitch collegiately at UCLA and was the No. 1 overall pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2011. A cornerstone of the Pirates' emergence in the mid-2010s, Cole pitched five seasons in Pittsburgh before going to Houston for the next two years. Cole signed a massive contract with the Yankees in free agency prior to the 2020 Season, and he is 61-29 with the Yankees in his six-plus seasons. Overall, Cole is 155-81 with two ERA titles and a Cy Young Award in 2023, with two runner-up finishes and six finishes in the top five.

This season, Cole is 2-1 with a 2.57 ERA in five starts. It's his first five starts since coming back from Tommy John surgery that sidelined him during the 2025 Season.

First pitch is at 1:35 E.T. on Reds.TV and 700WLW for this pitching matchup of one of the game's emerging stars and one of its veteran greats.