Judge powers Yankees to sweep
His day done, Aaron Judge put on a “Great Hambino” shirt — yellow and short-sleeved, loaded with images of a young boy pointing his finger and resting a bat over his shoulder, just like Babe Ruth. How fitting. Judge hit two more home runs, including a drive nearly 500 feet that cleared the distant bleachers at Yankee Stadium and sent New York romping past Baltimore 14-3 Sunday for its fifth straight win.
Still, the rookie sensation with the shirt referencing a character from the movie “The Sandlot” didn’t sound too impressed. Unlike his teammates and a sellout crowd of 46,348, who were awed by Judge’s latest achievements.
“If I know it’s going over the fence, I am going to start jogging and just get around the bases and get back in the dugout,” he said.
Yet even by his lofty feats, it was quite a power show by the 6-foot-7 Judge.
He leads the majors with 21 homers and tops the AL with 47 RBIs and a .344 batting average.
In the sixth, Judge launched a mammoth shot to left-center field that was estimated at 495 feet, the longest homer in the majors this season, according to Statcast. The ball bounced off the bare hands of a fan standing behind a fence beyond the back row of the
bleachers.
Then again, out that far, who could expect to need a glove for a souvenir?
The Yankees on the bench had their mouths wide open in amazement, pointing to where the ball traveled. Shortstop Didi Gregorius lifted up diminutive infielder Ronald Torreyes for a high-five with Judge.
Judge sent a shot into
the right-center seats in his next at-bat, and also doubled earlier.
“He hit a line drive to right field. It was just a line drive,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “Most guys, they’re hoping it gets in the gap. It just went out. I mean his power is incredible.”
The 25-year-old Judge has done enough to lead all American League players
in fan voting for starting spots in the All-Star Game. The outfielder enhanced his credentials by going 4 for 4 with a walk, scoring four times and driving in three.
Starlin Castro homered and drove in five runs for the AL East leaders. Gary Sanchez also connected, capping a five-run first inning off Kevin Gausman (3-5).
“I think they swung
at the first four pitches I threw, so obviously they’re all feeling pretty hot right now, feeling comfortable”, Gausman said.
The Yankees scored at least eight runs for the fifth straight game, matching the team’s best streak since 1939. New York swept the three-game series, and outscored the Orioles and Boston 55-9 during this five-game run.