Judge hits 45th as Yankees sweep Twins
Aaron Judge hit his AL-leading 45th home run and topped 100 RBI, Didi Gregorius surpassed Derek Jeter for the most home runs by a Yankees shortstop, and New York beat the visiting Minnesota Twins 11-3 Wednesday for a three-game sweep.
The Yankees, who have won 10 of 12, began the day three games behind AL East-leading Boston. They opened a seven-game advantage over the Twins for the top AL wild card with 10 games remaining.
Minnesota started the day 11/2 games ahead of the Los Angeles Angels, who were playing Cleveland Wednesday night, for the league’s last playoff berth. The Twins have lost five of six and were outscored 18-6 in the three-game series.
Judge hit his eighth home run of September, a two-run drive that began the comeback from a 3-0 deficit. He added a sacrifice fly for his 101st RBI, joining Joe DiMaggio, Tony Lazzeri and Hideki Matsui as the only Yankees rookies to reach the century mark.
Judge’s opposite-field drive down the right-field line came on an 0-2 pitch from Bartolo Colon. Gary Sanchez followed with a shot into Monument Park, his 32nd. Gregorius’ three-run drive into the second deck in right was his 25th, surpassing Jeter’s total in 1999.
Judge also struck out for the 199th time this season and walked for the 116th. DiMaggio had 125 RBIs as a rookie in 1936, Lazzeri 114 in 1926 and Matsui 106 in 2003.
ROCKIES LOSE AGAIN
Colorado starter Tyler Chatwood dug an early hole against the hometown Giants and now the Rockies’ lead for the second NL wild card is in jeopardy after a 4-0 loss to last-place San Francisco, the club’s third straight defeat.
Joe Panik hit a one-out triple in the first off Chatwood (8-13) and immediately scored on Denard Span’s sacrifice fly, then Panik doubled in the third and came home on Buster Posey’s sacrifice fly.
The Rockies still lead the Brewers for the second wild-card spot by one game after Milwaukee lost 6-4 to Pittsburgh Wednesday on a ninth-inning walk-off home run.