Gerrit Cole turned in another strong start as the Yankees opened the second half of the season with a 6-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Here are the takeaways...

-Cole continued to build off his impressive start last week against Baltimore with another strong outing Friday night against Tampa. The right-hander tossed six innings, allowing one run on six hits and a walk while striking out eight.

The only blip came in Cole’s final inning when he allowed a leadoff home run to Brandon Lowe.

Otherwise, the reigning AL Cy Young award winner, who missed the first two-and-a-half months of the season, is starting to look more like his old self. He reached 97 mph with his fastball and lowered his ERA from 5.40 to 4.60 in his sixth start of the season. The Yankees are going to depend on a healthy Cole for the second half of the season and he’s allowed just two runs while striking out 15 in his last 12 innings pitched.

-Anthony Volpe got off to a much-needed strong start to the second half of the season with a 2-for-4 night, driving in three runs. They all came with one swing of the bat with the bases loaded in the third inning, roping a two-out double down the left field line to clear the bases and give the Yankees a 4-0 lead. It was his first game with at least three RBI since May 7.

-Juan Soto had quite a unique night at the plate. He finished 4-for-4 with two singles – including a bunt single as part of the Yankees’ four-run third inning – a walk and two doubles, one of which turned into a Little League home run. That was in the fourth inning when Soto crushed a fastball off the left-center field wall off and made it all the way home after a fielding error by Randy Arozarena and a throwing error by second baseman Richie Palacios, who hit Soto sliding into third base, sending the ball out of play to allow Soto to score home and put the Yankees up 5-0.

-Aaron Judge went 2-for-4 with an RBI single in the sixth inning to pick up where he left off, as well. The Yanks slugger, who was the DH on Friday night fouled a ball off his left foot in the fourth inning and was checked on by the trainer, but appeared to be fine and finished the rest of the game.

-Tommy Kahnle, Jake Cousins and Caleb Ferguson combined for three scoreless innings out of the bullpen.

MVP of the Game: Anthony Volpe

There were certainly a few candidates but Volpe earned the nod after delivering the big blow with the bases loaded in the third inning -- driving home all three runners with a double down the left field line to put the Yankees up 4-0 as part of a 2-for-4 night for the shortstop.

Here are the takeaways...

MVP of the Game: Anthony Volpe

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