Judge homers, exits early
Reason for slugger’s removal in 6th unclear after he launched solo shot in fifth inning
Aaron Judge dented an advertisement with a scorching home run before making an unusual early exit, Jordan Montgomery pitched efficiently against a lineup missing its brightest young star and the New York Yankees beat the Atlanta Braves 9-6 Tuesday night.
Atlanta scratched Ronald Acuna Jr. about 90 minutes before first pitch with a sore left wrist. The 2018 NL Rookie of the Year homered three times during a doubleheader Sunday against Philadelphia but was pulled early in a blowout loss Monday. It’s unclear when the injury occurred.
Judge smashed his 113.1 mph homer off a sign above the home bullpen in right-center field, leaving his mark on a shot leading off the fifth. He entered the day tied with San Diego’s Fernando Tatis Jr. for the major league lead with eight homers.
Then his night came to a bizarre end.
Manager Aaron Boone sent Mike Tauchman to pinch-hit for Judge in the sixth inning with
New York leading 8-3 — hardly a blowout. Judge didn’t appear to be injured and clapped as he watched Tauchman hit from the top rail of the dugout. But he later appeared to head to the clubhouse and didn’t return.
No other Yankees’ starter was removed at that stage, and there shouldn’t be much need to rest Judge with New York getting two days off this week.
Luke Voit hit a three-run drive in the first inning off Braves starter Touki Toussaint (0-1), who turned in the second straight abysmal start for a rotation that’s reeling without injured ace Mike Soroka, lost for the season with a torn right Achilles tendon. Atlanta start
ers have a 5.57 ERA.
Toussaint allowed six runs — five earned — in four innings a night after left-hander Sean Newcomb allowed eight runs in 11/3 innings against Philadelphia.
Judge’s home run came off 22-year-old right-hander Bryse Wilson, who was recalled from Atlanta’s alternate site after Newcomb was sent down.
Montgomery (2-1) cruised through five innings before allowing a three-run homer to Marcell Ozuna in the sixth. He threw 78 pitches over six innings, allowing three runs, four hits and a walk with four strikeouts. Zack Britton pitched a perfect ninth inning for his sixth save.
Mike Ford added a two-run double for New York in the third.
Atlanta clawed back from an 8-0 deficit as Johan Camargo and Tyler Flowers each had RBI doubles.
In the second inning, neither second baseman DJ Lemahieu or shortstop Gleyber Torres covered second on a potential
double-play grounder to third baseman Gio Urshela. Torres made an error that led to a run in the eighth.
Trainer’s room
Yankees: Giancarlo Stanton is expected to miss three to four weeks after being diagnosed with a grade 1 left hamstring strain . ... RHP Aroldis Chapman (COVID-19) threw about 25 pitches against live hitters at the alternate site. His time frame to rejoin the team remains unclear . ... OF Clint Frazier was promoted from the alternate site.