Giancarlo Stanton struck a grand slam and the New York Yankees took control of their second-round streak on Monday, inflicting a 9-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.

Stanton delivered a cannon shot with the bases filled in the ninth, sending the ball over the fence to center field.

Earlier in the set, Aaron Hicks made it 5-3 with a single run.

Then came to score Kyle Higashioka, author of an equalizer, four innings earlier.

Later in the fifth, Aaron Judge broke the deadlock with a home run.

Game two will be on Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. Deivi Garcia, 21, will try to help the Yankees take a two-game cushion. He will face Tyler Glasnow.

Garcia delivered a 3-2 return in September. Glasnow has clinched victory in his last nine outings.

Author of three hits, Hicks also got a sacrifice ball in the New Yorkers' first round at bat.

Gerrit Cole struck out eight batters in six innings, allowing three runs and six hits. He hasn't been beaten since September 5, showing since a 5-0 record.

Clint Frazier also hit a home run for the Yankees.

Randy Arozarena and Ji-Man Choi hit long balls in a losing cause.

In the playoffs this year, clubs that have slammed more home runs than their opponents are 13-0.

Yandy Diaz and Brandon Lowe, the Rays' first two hitters, had a combined 0 for 7. Three of the team's six hits came from Arozarena.

Blake Snell allowed four runs and six hits in five innings.