Aaron Judge's Two-Homer Night Leads Yankees to Win Over Guardians
NEW YORK — Before the Yankees took the field on Friday night, opening their three-game series against the Guardians at Yankee Stadium, manager Aaron Boone had a feeling that Aaron Judge was going to have a big game.
"Judgey kind of had that look in his eye tonight," Boone said. "Sometimes he tells me he's got us, but kind of gave me that look right before the game like, 'I got this.'"
With New York's offense reeling, struggling to score runs to start the season, Judge took matters into his own hands, homering twice to power the Yankees to a 4-1 victory over Cleveland.
After walking in his first at-bat, Judge got the party started with a towering solo shot to right-center field in the third.
Leaving his bat at 112 mph, on a 3-1 fastball from Guardians right-hander Eli Morgan, Judge's second home run of the season soared 397 feet.
Two innings later, Judge left the yard once again. His two-run shot was another 112-mph missile, clearing the short porch in right on a full-count heater from Cleveland's reliever Tanner Tully.
"I've been feeling good all year," Judge said after the game. "Can't really base off how you're feeling or how the season is gonna go on [14] games, but I try to go out there and just do my job, just like everybody else."
Playing center field on Friday night, Judge made an impact defensively as well.
Starter Jameson Taillon was looking to get through five innings of one-run ball—with a runner on first and one man out—when left fielder Stevan Kwan looped a single into shallow center. Second baseman Andres Gimenez rounded second, barreling for third, but Judge delivered a perfect throw, arriving just in time for Josh Donaldson to tag out the runner.
Taillon got third baseman José Ramírez to fly out a few pitches later, ending both the threat and his night.
"I mean the guy hits two home runs and then he shows up on defense and makes a big play," Taillon said. "I think I'm probably out of the game right there if he doesn't throw that guy out. You bring up José Ramírez with a chance to take the lead, they probably go to the bullpen. So hats off to him for allowing me to get through that inning. He picked me up when I needed it."
Judge had a chance in the seventh to do something he's never done before in a big-league uniform. Rather than recording the first three-homer game of his career, however, Judge flew out to right in his final at-bat of the game.
Although he fell short of a hat trick, Judge still made some history. Friday night marked Judge's 17th career multi-homer game. Only five other players in Yankees franchise history had more before turning 30: Mickey Mantle, Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio and Roger Maris.
The only other run New York scored on Friday night came on an RBI single off the bat of shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa in the fourth.
After Taillon's five frames, with one earned run allowed, right-hander Michael King threw three sparkling innings in relief, striking out eight of the 10 batters he faced.
Closer Aroldis Chapman shut the door in the ninth, earning his fourth save of the year.
MORE:
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- Yankees Discussed Joey Gallo Trade With Padres This Spring
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