Initially, it looked like another strikeout for Aaron Judge. This is the latest record among the Yankees, who had already recorded 18 strikeouts in their previous nine games.
He watched a 99 mph pitch smear the edge of the strike zone.
Home plate umpire Nick Murray also signaled a strikeout.
But after Athletics pitcher Joe Boyle had his strike call invalidated by a balk, Judge turned his second chance into a two-run homer, and Juan Soto hit the ball over the right-field fence, giving the Yankees two points. gave. Wednesday night, we led by 0 points in the first inning.
It was Judge’s fourth home run of the season and 261st of his career, moving him past Derek Jeter into ninth place in Yankees history and his first home run since April 14th.
It was the last time Judge’s average was above .200.
The strikeouts started to connect. Hits, especially powerful home runs, have all but disappeared.
And after Saturday’s four-strikeout game against the Rays, Yankees fans began booing Judge, even though outfielder and manager Aaron Boone repeatedly said he was finding his rhythm. Ta.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said before the game, “Even when you’re having a bad series, when you’re not swinging well, Aaron Judge is always there.” “Physically, I think he’s in good shape. All that matters is really getting his timing down at the next level, and when he does that, he’ll take off.”
The judge was not alone.
Most of the lineup, from Anthony Rizzo and Gleyber Torres to Anthony Volpe and Austin Wells, cooled down after an early season loss for the Yankees, who started the season with five straight wins, backed by a strong offense.
However, the person at the center of it all was Judge, who had two consecutive no-hit, no-base home runs.
But on Tuesday, Judge hit a double that helped the Yankees win.
The flyout left the bat at 164 mph.
And his first-inning home run against Boyle, which followed Soto’s one-out walk and the all-important balk call, reflected the clearest sign that the outfielder was starting to find his groove.
Judge also hit a go-ahead single in the bottom of the third inning, flipping a 1-2 pitch into the right field seats, marking his fourth multi-hit game of the season.
