“If it’s fair, it’s his moment. It is!”
Those words by FOX Sports commentator Joe Davis will forever be a part of Aaron Judge’s legacy, regardless of how the Yankees do tonight to keep the Yankees in the hunt. The moment where Yankees captain Aaron Judge hit a 3-run home run that clunked off of the foul pole in left field to tie the game awoke an otherwise hushed crowd, knowing that the Yankees were behind for the third game in a row.
After starter Carlos Rodón had allowed 6 earned runs in 2-⅓ innings of work, it seemed to be another replay of the previous two games, setting up a sweep for the Blue Jays. Manager Aaron Boone called on reliever Fernando Cruz to close out the third. Amongst the battery of Cruz, Doval, Hill, Williams, and Bednar, they combined to allow only 3 hits and no walks in the remaining 6-⅔ innings of the game.
After allowing 13 runs to Toronto on Sunday afternoon, and considering how unreliable the bullpen has been of late, it was positive to see them perform like fans have been wanting and expecting last night. Further, it was positive to see the bats come alive at the right moment, as well as see the Yankees take advantage of a few defensive errors made by the Blue Jays. The error in the 1st by Isiah Kiner-Falefa may have been what decided the game, in a way. If he hadn’t bobbled the ball, he could have easily gotten Stanton out, and Judge wouldn’t have been able to score from 2nd base to get the Yankees on the board. After another home run by Vladimir Guerrero Jr., that one run allowed by the error was significant, as it showed the crowd that the Yankees hadn’t lost their quit yet.
In the top of the 5th inning, with the score tied, Judge dove for a line drive hit by Anthony Santander with 94 MPH of exit velocity to keep Ernie Clement at 2nd base to hold the tie. A little later, Jazz Chisholm hits a 409-foot go-ahead home run into the second deck of the right field stands to put the Yankees ahead for the first time since last Thursday’s ALWCS Game 3.
Amed Rosario had replaced Ryan McMahon in the top of the 4th, but in the following at-bat after Chisholm’s home run, Rosario hit a line drive double into left field, then scored via an Austin Wells ground-ball to right field. Wells was ultimately thrown out 9-2-6 trying to stretch it into a double
In the bottom of the 6th, an intentional walk to Aaron Judge, a Cody Bellinger double and Ben Rice sac-fly to right field put the score at 9-6 Yankees, where it would remain for the rest of the game. Aaron Boone made some defensive changes in the top of the 7th, switching out Paul Goldschmidt for Ben Rice at first base and José Caballero for Amed Rosario at third base. The Yankees loaded up the bases in the bottom of the 8th after Jays pitcher Tommy Nance allowed a single to Austin Wells, intentionally walked Cody Bellinger and allowed a single to José Caballero, but with two outs, Giancarlo Stanton popped out to second baseman Ernie Clement to leave all three runners stranded.
David Bednar pitched a perfect ninth inning to close things out and secure the win, including a swinging strikeout by George Springer, a caught looking strikeout by Nathan Lukes and a 5-3 ground-out by Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
The Yankees look to Cam Schlittler in another decisive game to keep their postseason hopes alive tonight with a 7:08 PM start, and Toronto has Louie Varland tabbed as their starter. Notably, Varland is the pitcher who allowed Judge’s game-changing home run and Chisholm’s go-ahead home run. Judge was quoted post-game by saying, “He’s a great pitcher. He’s been a great pitcher in his career so far. He’s a guy that — I wish I could throw at 102 miles an hour. It’s pretty impressive.”
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