Yankees' Ben Rice hits 39th homer, Gerrit Cole becomes winningest No. 1 draft pick in victory over Diamondbacks

PHOENIX — All eyes were on Gerrit Cole as he tried to record a bounce-back start against the Diamondbacks on Friday night.

In his previous two starts, Cole had allowed seven home runs in a span of 9 1⁄3 innings. He gave up another one on Friday — making it eight in a 13-inning span — but otherwise was exceptional as the Yankees earned a 9-2 victory.

The Yankees gave him an early cushion. Eduardo Rodriguez struck out three in the first inning but allowed five runs, throwing 45 pitches in the inning.

Ben Rice hit his 39th homer, tripled, walked twice and drove in two runs to lift his RBI total to 94. George Lombard Jr. also homered for the Yankees (89-64), who gained a game on the AL East-leading Rays and moved within four games with nine to play.

Cole became the winningest No. 1 overall draft pick. Selected first by Pittsburgh in 2011, he earned his 162nd victory. That is one more than Mike Moore, picked No. 1 by Seattle in 1981.

Cole (9-9) allowed two runs and four hits, walked none and struck out six in six innings.

The Yankees’ first five batters reached base against Rodriguez. Paul Goldschmidt walked, Cody Bellinger singled and Heliot Ramos walked to load the bases. Rice walked to drive in a run and Amed Rosario looped an RBI single to center. A wild pitch made it 3-0 and Lombard singled home two more runs.

Corbin Carroll hit a two-run homer to cut Arizona’s deficit to 5-2 in the second, but Rice hit an opposite-field homer in the third to make it 6-2 and Lombard (three RBIs) added a solo shot in the sixth.

Rodriguez (15-7) gave up seven runs, five hits and four walks in 5 1⁄3 innings.

The Diamondbacks lost their third straight game and are five games behind the Padres with eight games left in the race for the third National League wild card.