Yankees’ Judge walks off Astros again with blast

NEW YORK — Aaron Judge drove a three-run homer in the 10th inning for his second walk-off hit against the Astros in four days, and the New York Yankees recovered after nearly being no-hit for the second consecutive game to beat Houston 6-3 for a four-game split between the AL’s top teams.

Giancarlo Stanton ended a historic hitless drought for New York with a oneout homer in the seventh inning, and DJ LeMahieu followed with a tying tworun drive in the eighth.

After Michael King stranded the bases loaded in the 10th, Isiah KinerFalefa dropped a two-strike bunt that moved automatic runner Aaron Hicks to third. Right-hander Seth Martinez intentionally walked pinch-hitter Matt Carpenter and struck out LeMahieu, setting up a two-out showdown with the Judge.

Just like on Thursday, when he broke a 6-all tie with a single in the ninth, Judge lifted the major league-leading Yankees. His rocket to left-center on a slider landed in the visiting bullpen.

After rounding the bases, Judge walked over the to stands and gifted his bat to film director Spike Lee.

With their 10th walkoff win this year, the Yankees improved to 53-20 and matched the third-best 73-game start in the majors since 1930 — trailing only the 2001 Mariners and 1998 Yankees. They are 24-1 when Judge and Stanton homer in the same game, including 8-0 this season.

They hardly hit like a juggernaut most of the weekend.

Jose Urquidy was eight outs from Houston’s second straight no-hitter before Stanton connected, cutting the Astros’ lead to 3-1. The Yankees had been 0 for 52 since the eighth inning of a 3-1 loss Friday night — a stretch including a combined no-hitter by Cristian Javier, Hector Neris and Ryan Pressly on Saturday.

New York’s 16 1/3-inning hitless drought was the longest by any team since at least 1961, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. No team has ever been no-hit in consecutive games, although the 1917 Chicago White Sox were no-hit on consecutive days by the St. Louis Browns, but the second gem came in the second game of a doubleheader.

LeMahieu tied it with a no-doubt, two-out homer off reliever Phil Maton, who had let Kiner-Falefa aboard with a single.

King (5-1) had to wriggle out of trouble in the 10th after New York’s defense slipped up twice. Shortstop Kiner-Falefa booted Jose Altuve’s grounder, and catcher Jose Trevino’s attempt to pick off Jason Castro at second base backfired when Castro took third.

King walked Alex Bregman with one out to load the bases, then retired Kyle Tucker and Yuli Gurriel. King reached 100 mph for the first time in his career during the at-bat against Bregman.

A crowd of 47,422 slumped in their seats most of the afternoon — the biggest cheers early on came for a cloud that briefly subdued the blazing afternoon sun. The Astros have become every bit as hated in the Bronx as the rival Red Sox after eliminating New York from the postseason three times since 2015 — including during their scandal-tainted title run in 2017.

Altuve hushed his harassers by hammering Nestor Cortes’ first pitch, matching ex-teammate George Springer for the major league lead with seven leadoff homers. Mauricio Dubon added a two-run single in the fourth.

Altuve also walked twice and stole two bases.

Houston star Michael

Brantley was replaced in the eighth inning with right shoulder discomfort. The five-time All-Star was 0 for 3, dropping his batting average to .288.

The Astros were also without slugger Yordan Alvarez, held out of the lineup with a lingering hand issue. He pinch-hit aganst Clay Holmes in the ninth inning and was intentionally walked.

The Yankees’ Gleyber Torres was stranded at third base in the ninth when he sprained his right ankle and was easily picked off tagged out while writhing in the dirt. Manager Aaron Boone called the sprain mild.

Stanek extended his AL-best scoreless streak to 19 innings. Martinez (0-1) had the second longest run at 17 2/3 innings prior to Judge’s blast, helping Houston entered with a major league-best 2.63 ERA.

Urquidy allowed the one hit over seven innings. He walked three and struck out three on 98 pitches.

Stanton’s homer was his third in the four-game series and 17th this season.

Noah K. Murray / Associated Press Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge reacts after his walk-off home run against the Astros during the 10th inning Sunday in New York.