Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Judge to rescue again as Yankees tie up series
Rookie sparks rally with HR, double to take Game 4
NEW YORK — With a soaring shot headed for Yankee Stadium’s Monument Park, Aaron Judge got the Yankees back on track for another memorable October.
Judge ignited a rousing rally with a home run, then doubled during a four-run eighth to spur the Yankees over the Astros 6-4 on Tuesday and tie the AL Championship Series 2-2.
“I thought Aaron’s home run just lit a little spark,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.
The Yankees trailed 4-0 against starter Lance McCullers Jr. until Judge homered leading off the seventh. He tied it with a line drive that nearly left the park in the eighth and scored on Gary Sanchez’s go-ahead two-run double off loser Ken Giles.
The Yankees overcame three errors and roared back from a second straight 0-2 series deficit. They beat the Indians in the division series by winning three in a row to take that best-of-five matchup.
Aroldis Chapman struck out two in a perfect ninth to cap a three-hitter. The Yanks improved to 5-0 at home in the playoffs.
Masahiro Tanaka will face Astros left-hander Dallas Keuchel on Wednesday in Game 5. It’s a rematch of the series opener, when Keuchel outdid Tanaka in a 2-1 Astros win.
An AL MVP candidate marred in a sluggish October, Judge sparked the Yankees by chasing McCullers, RESULTS, SCHEDULE
Astros 2, Yankees 1
Astros 2, Yankees 1
Yankees 8, Astros 1 Astros 4 Yankees 6, at Yankees 5 p.m. Wednesday at Astros 8 p.m. Friday at Astros 8 p.m. Saturday who baffled the Yankees with his power breaking ball.
Except for the last one. Judge launched a curveball into the netting above center field’s Monument Park for just the Yankees’ second hit.
“Once we’re within striking distance like that, anything can happen,” Judge said.
The Astros had not lost consecutive games since Sept. 8-10 and had the majors best regular-season road record. But they had just three hits and are hitting .153 in the series.