Aaron Judge Hits 53rd Home Run, Carries Yankees to Win Over Rays
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The Yankees are reeling.
Aaron Judge is not.
New York's slugger put his teammates in a backpack and carried them to a victory over the Rays on Sunday afternoon, a win that prevented Tampa Bay from a sweep.
Judge scored both of New York's runs in the 2-1 win at Tropicana Field. On the second pitch of the game, he smashed his 53rd home run of the season, a 450-foot missile that cleared the second deck in left. In the seventh, Judge scampered home on a sacrifice fly from rookie Oswaldo Cabrera.
That second run, which turned out to be the difference after Tampa Bay scored once in the bottom of the ninth, came after Judge hit a leadoff double. He advanced to third base on a grounder in the infield, swimming around the tag at third base with a smooth headfirst slide.
Starter Frankie Montas pitched well for New York, shutting the Rays down over five scoreless innings, allowing one hit while striking out seven. Relievers Lou Trivino, Ron Marinaccio and Jonathan Loáisiga bridged the gap from Montas to closer Clay Holmes, who proceeded to run into trouble in the ninth.
After Holmes gave up an RBI single with one man out, the Rays put runners on second and third. Holmes was able to tightrope out of the jam, though, striking out Yandy Díaz on a 102-mph sinker at the very bottom of the zone to secure his first save since July 22.
Over New York's three-game set with the Rays this weekend, Judge accounted for all three of the Yankees' runs. The 30-year-old also homered on Saturday, making sure the Rays didn't shut the Yankees out for a second straight game.
In those three contests, Judge had five of the Yankees' 14 base hits.
His 53rd home run of the year and 115th RBI are both new career-highs.
With the win on Sunday, the Yankees can exhale slightly, maintaining a five-game lead over the Rays in the American League East. Had they lost and gotten swept, that advantage in the division would've been trimmed down to just three. Two months ago, the Yankees led the Rays by 15.5 games.
New York isn't out of the woods yet with Tampa Bay, though. After a four-game series with the Twins beginning at Yankee Stadium on Monday, the Rays are scheduled to visit the Bronx, looking to make up even more ground on their division rival.
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