Yankees Tribute to John Sterling with a Big Win

Shortly after a ceremony honoring the late John Sterling, Aaron Judge stepped up to pay his respects—and boy, did he deliver. The energy was palpable as Judge hit a two-run homer, setting the stage for a night filled with celebration.

Thanks to an impressive second half, especially a six-run eighth inning, the Yankees took home a 12-1 victory over the Orioles, marking their fourth consecutive win. The crowd of 36,802 in the Bronx erupted when they heard Sterling’s famous call replayed over the loudspeakers: “The baseball game is over! Yankees win!”

This day began with the sad news of Sterling’s passing at 87. The Yankees (now 24-11) honored Sterling, who was famed for his home run calls, as Judge quickly took down right-hander Shane Baz for his 14th home run of the season. It soared, really. Just—gone.

“I was thinking about his call,” Judge shared, reflecting on the moment as he rounded the bases. “He loved this team, the fans… everyone he spoke to. I couldn’t help but smile, imagining what he’d say.”

Both Judge and manager Aaron Boone expressed their support for continuing Sterling’s iconic call. Boone recalled fondly, “I loved it when they started that after he retired in 2024. It’s great to hear it again.”

Other players shined, too. Trent Grisham contributed two doubles and scored in both innings, while Cam Schlitzer had a solid outing, holding the Orioles (15-20) to just one run through five innings. This victory gives them 14 wins in their last 16 games.

In an impressive run throughout the game, the Yankees outscored the Orioles 39-10 over their four-game series. By the eighth inning, the crowd was buzzing as Lou Trivino made notable plays, and Judge added a two-run single alongside Cody Bellinger’s two-run triple, highlighting the team’s fun momentum.

Judge finished the night 2-for-4 with an intentional walk and four RBIs. His start to the season hasn’t been fiery, but he’s undoubtedly found his stride.

As for his performance, Judge has hit home runs in consecutive games and shows signs of ramping up—he’s hit 11 out of the last 21 and is currently on pace for a staggering 65 homers. Oh, and he’s been hitting .440 with a 1.563 OPS in his last seven games.

Meanwhile, Schlitzer was clocking an impressive 99.6 mph on his fastball, a bump up from his usual speed. But he had some struggles with control, issuing a season-high three walks, including the last two batters he faced. This led to a sixth-inning run for the Orioles.

Jake Byrd stepped in from the bullpen, dealing with a pitch clock violation before striking out Jeremiah Jackson, loading the bases in the process.

“It’s frustrating,” Schlitzer admitted. “Walks are something I can control. But thankfully, Birdie came in and turned it around. It was a big moment for us, and we have to avoid slipping in the sixth.”

Grisham was also recognized for his contributions, suggesting that underlying metrics were more promising than they appeared initially. He made an early impact with two doubles, scoring a run after a throw error.

He even made a fantastic catch in the sixth, tracking a fly ball on the warning track and crashing into the wall. All in all, it was quite a night, a mix of emotion, respect, and solid baseball.