NEW YORK (AP) Carlos Rodón allowed two unearned run in six-plus innings, Alex Verdugo homered and the New York Yankees beat the Miami Marlins 3-2 Tuesday night to match their best 12-game start.

New York won its fourth straight and improved to a major league-best 10-2, equaling the starts of the Yankees in 1922, 1949 and 2003 - all pennant-winning teams. The Yankees also started with four straight series wins for the second straight season - the only time they won their first five series was 1926.

“You can’t take them off the board and they matter now as much as any time,” New York manager Aaron Boone said. “Any time you can play a stretch of games like this, you sure sign up for it. You’d take it.”

Miami dropped to 1-11 for the first time since losing 11 in a row after an opening victory in 1998. The Marlins are the first team to lose 11 of their first 12 since Baltimore in 2010.

Rodón (1-0) allowed four hits in six-plus innings for his fourth win in 12 decisions since signing a $162 million, six-year contract. He is 1-0 with a 1.72 ERA in three starts.

“A step in the right direction today, just keep going,” Rodón said. “Confidence is growing for sure.”

Verdugo admired his first Yankee Stadium homer in pinstripes, dropping to one knee after swinging at A.J. Puk’s 1-0 sweeper. He watched the ball land a few rows back of the short porch in right and raised his arm midway through the home run trot.

After reaching the dugout, Verdugo was met by teammates jumping up and down and barking - a reference to his calling teammates “dawgs” following the opening four-game sweep at Houston.

“I love it, I love it,” said Verdugo, who was wearing a gray T-shirt that said: “Bronx Dawgs”. “I got (Anthony) Rizzo throwing up the little ‘arf, arf, arf,' so it’s a lot of fun. They’re running with it and we love it.”

Verdugo hit his second homer with the Yankees, a night after getting three hits and reaching four times.

Giancarlo Stanton added an RBI double in the fifth after being robbed of a potential extra-base hit in the third by Bryan De La Cruz’s leaping catch at the left field warning track. Juan Soto, batting .348, reached three times and had an RBI single in the sixth.

After Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s grounder went under Rizzo’s glove at first and Tim Anderson reached on an infield single to load the bases in the seventh, pinch-hitters Jesús Sánchez (run-scoring grounder) and Nick Gordon (sacrifice fly) drove in runs against Ian Hamilton, ending Miami’s 16-inning scoreless streak.

“I feel like we’re putting together good at-bats, just not consistently enough,” Miami manager Skip Schumaker said.

Hamilton also pitched a scoreless eighth and Clay Holmes pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his fifth save in six chances.

Defending NL batting champion Luis Arráez struck out twice for his second multiple-strikeout game this season. He had two multi-strikeout games last season when he batted .354 in 147 games.

Puk (0-3) allowed two runs and four hits in 4 2/3 innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Yankees: Boone said Gerrit Cole (right elbow inflammation) recovered well after resuming throwing Monday. … 3B DJ LeMahieu (bruised right foot) has begun fielding side to side grounders.

UP NEXT

RHP Marcus Stroman (1-0, 0.00 ERA) starts Wednesday night for the Yankees against Miami LHP Ryan Weathers (0-1, 4.00).

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB