NEW YORK – All Rise!
MLBBro Aaron Judge had his best October moment on Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium. It was an MVP-type of performance that helped the Yankees come back from a five-run deficit to defeat the Blue Jays, 9-6. New York’s victory cut Toronto’s American League Division Series lead to 2-1.
Aaron Judge Has Signature Playoff Game
Judge had a sick game, going 3-for-4 with four RBIs and made a nice defensive catch in right field. But the showstopper came in the fourth inning with the Yankees down, 6-3. Before he stepped into the batter’s box, Judge was seen consulting with teammate Giancarlo Stanton about how to handle reliever Louis Varland. Judge knew Varland as a starter with the Twins, but Stanton faced Varland earlier in the Division Series in Toronto.
“I’ve seen all the videos and the appearances,” Judge said after the game. “It’s a different perspective when you step in the box and see it live. I talked to [Stanton] about what certain pitches look like.”
With runners on first and second, Judge swung at an 0-2 fastball – clocked at 99.7 miles an hour from Varland – and hit the ball down the left-field corner. Judge is not known for admiring home runs, but stood near home plate and watched to see if the ball would stay fair. It ended up hitting the foul pole for a three-run homer and tying the game at 6. It was also Judge’s first homer of the postseason.
“I felt I made good contact. I thought it had a chance,” Judge said. “You just never know with the wind if it’s going to push it foul or keep curving on not. I guess a couple of those [ghosts] out in Monument Park kept it [fair].”
It’s amazing that Judge was able to put a charge into the ball. According to MLB.com’s Sarah Langs, Judge’s homer came on a pitch 1.2 feet from the center of the plate inside. It looked like the ball could hit his hands.
“I get yelled at for swinging out of the zone, but I don’t get praise for it,” Judge said. “… I’m up there trying to put a good swing on a good pitch. It looked good to me. … I really don’t know. I was in the moment. Just trust your eyes, trust your swing. I feel like I can get to every pitch in the zone. I think the biggest thing is being ready on time.”
Aaron Judge Was A Star With Bat & Glove In Game 3
Not only did Judge carry the Yankees with the stick, he showed he could handle the leather as well. An inning after his heroics in the batter’s box, the Blue Jays had the go-ahead run on second base with one out, but Judge made a nice running catch off the bat of Anthony Santander. Yankees right-hander Camilo Doval was then replaced by Tim Hill, who ended the threat by striking out Addison Barger.
“It was a tough one slicing in with a guy on base there,” Judge said about his catch. “I was thinking in my head I hope [the ball] stays up because I know it’s going to top spin on me a little bit. But I knew I had to get dirty for it and laid it all out there. In those moments, you can’t be afraid. You have to be on offense and defense. You have to attack the ball at all times and try to make a play for the pitcher.”
Judge may have been the player of the game, but it was teammate Jazz Chisholm who drove in the winning run with a solo homer in the bottom of the fifth off Varland. Chisholm was hitless in two official at-bats before that at-bat, but Judge told Chisholm he was swinging the bat well and to stay aggressive in the batters box.
“We were excited. We felt the momentum switch a little bit,” Judge said. “Once Jazz put that one in the seats, we said, ‘All right, let’s try to add on. [The Blue Jays] are thinking, ‘They can put a four spot on [us] at any moment. I’m happy the offense and [pitching staff] responded during the game.”
