It has been some week for Aaron Judge, and the Yankees slugger’s hot streak shows no signs of slowing down.
Judge connected for two huge go-ahead knocks as part of a four-RBI performance, slugging an eighth-inning homer and lacing a run-scoring hit in the 10th, helping to power the Yankees to a 7-5 victory over the White Sox in a wild Saturday night slugfest at Guaranteed Rate Field.
The eighth-inning shot off Craig Kimbrel was Judge’s 26th homer and third of the series, as Judge went deep twice in Thursday’s Field of Dreams Game in Dyersville, Iowa. Joey Gallo followed Judge’s 10th inning single by launching a two-run shot off Liam Hendriks, having gone deep in the first inning to support starter Jameson Taillon.
The Yankees were one strike away from victory in the ninth, as Chad Green fired a couple of full-count fastballs that José Abreu fouled off. The right-hander tried a curveball for the eighth pitch of the at-bat, which Abreu deposited over the left-center-field wall for a game-tying shot.
It was the Yankees’ 18th blown lead in the eighth inning or later, most in the Majors this season. Taillon held the big-swinging White Sox to three runs and seven hits over five-plus innings, and after his exit, the Yanks’ bullpen extinguished a pair of Chicago rallies.
Jonathan Loaisiga was summoned as a stopper for a big spot in the sixth, wriggling free of a bases-loaded, one-out jam by inducing a broken-bat fielder’s choice and a deep fly that center fielder Brett Gardner ran down. After Loaisiga permitted a pair of singles in the seventh, Wandy Peralta pitched out of a two-on, two-out spot without damage.
GAME HIGHLIGHTS:
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].