Aaron Judge homered for a career-high fourth consecutive game and Gio Urshela launched his first career grand slam as the Yankees defeated the Red Sox, 5-2, on Saturday evening at Yankee Stadium.
Judge cracked a 455-foot blast to the left-field bleachers in the first inning and Urshela cleared the bases in the second with a shot that landed on the netting covering Monument Park beyond the center-field wall. The homers came off Boston starter Zack Godley, powering the Yanks’ fifth straight win and sixth victory in seven games.
Molten Hot. #AllRise pic.twitter.com/uKZruMDDHT
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 1, 2020
Giodude used Slam. pic.twitter.com/dPx2L0YfaG
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 1, 2020
Each of the Yankees’ last 17 runs have come via the long ball. Judge is the first Yankee since Cameron Maybin last August to homer in four consecutive games; Judge had previously homered in three consecutive games five times.
Making his return from a concussion sustained on July 4, right-hander Masahiro Tanaka permitted two runs (one earned) and four hits over 2 2/3 innings before reaching an allotted pitch count.
Boston broke through against Tanaka in the third inning, as Xander Bogaerts doubled home a run and another run scored on Gleyber Torres’ third error of the season. Tanaka walked one and struck out three.
Yankees No. 16 prospect Nick Nelson was credited with the victory in his Major League debut, as the 24-year-old right-hander struck out four over three scoreless, hitless innings. A fourth-round selection of the Yankees in the 2016 MLB Draft who advanced through three levels of the farm system last season, Nelson walked two in a 41-pitch appearance.
Impressive debut from @nick_nelson16 tonight ?:
3.0 IP // 0 H // 0 R // 2 BB // 4 Ks pic.twitter.com/hHf3O14AAr— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 2, 2020
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].