Aaron Judge’s two homers spark Yankees’ offense in win over Guardians
When the time comes for arbitration or further negotiations on a long-term contract extension, Aaron Judge and his camp may want to have the highlights from the Yankees’ game Friday night at the ready.
With the lackluster offense in need of a jolt, Judge answered the call by crushing a pair of home runs, while also flashing his strong arm in center field, to lead the Yankees to a 4-1 win over the Guardians at Yankee Stadium.
Jameson Taillon threw five solid innings of one-run ball, Michael King struck out eight in three dazzling innings of relief and Aroldis Chapman locked down his fourth save of the season as the Yankees (8-6) opened a six-game homestand on the right foot.
“Judgey kind of had that look in his eye tonight,” manager Aaron Boone said. “Sometimes he tells me he’s got us, but he kind of gave me that look right before the game, like, ‘I got this.’ ”
Judge, playing on the final year of his contract after he and the Yankees failed to agree to an extension by Opening Day, had reached base safely in each of his first 12 starts of the season. But his trademark power had mostly been missing, with just one home run through his first 13 games.
That changed in a hurry Friday, as Judge drilled two home runs, both opposite-field shots, in his first three at-bats to provide three-quarters of the offense on the night. It was a needed boost for an offense that has too often been quiet to begin the season.
“We got Jamo on the mound, I liked the lineup we got and I love playing center field,” said Judge, who made his fifth start of the year in center. “Just like everybody else, we got a lot of guys in here grinding, trying to do their thing. The numbers may not show that they’re doing well, but they’re hitting the ball well and doing their thing. Eventually it’s gotta turn.”
Judge gave the Yankees their first hit of the night and the lead on one swing with two outs and DJ LeMahieu on in the third inning, clobbering an Eli Morgan fastball for a 2-0 advantage.
The Guardians (7-6) cut that lead in half the next half inning, when Franmil Reyes skied a solo home run off Taillon to make it 2-1.
Each of Taillon’s next two pitches were hit even harder. The second was a line drive from former Met Amed Rosario that got over Joey Gallo’s head in left field after he took a poor route to the ball. It was just part of another rough night for Gallo, who went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts and heard louder boos throughout the game.
But Taillon picked up Gallo, retiring the next two batters to strand runners at second and third.
“That was a pretty big turning point in the game,” said Taillon who gave up seven hits and struck out five. “Besides that, it was just about navigating through.”
The Yankees got the run back in the bottom of the fourth as Isiah Kiner-Falefa stayed hot by lining a single to left field to push the lead to 3-1. Since starting the season 1-for-17, Kiner-Falefa is now 11-for-26 over his last eight games.
Before Judge socked a solo homer in the bottom of the fifth, his arm helped Taillon avoid another run in the top of the inning. Andres Gimenez tried to go first to third on Steven Kwan’s single to center field, but Judge uncorked a bullet to third base and Josh Donaldson slapped the tag on Gimenez for the second out.
“I don’t [like when guys run on me],” Judge said. “I hope they just stay at their base. I just had to go out there and do my job.”
Taillon then stranded Kwan at second base by getting the red-hot Jose Ramirez to fly out to Judge to end the inning.
King followed Taillon and effectively rendered the Guardians’ bats useless.
“When he pounds the zone and gets strike one, he’s unhittable,” Judge said. “That was impressive from him.”
