Austin Wells understood that moment.
The Yankees catcher and cleanup hitter called a timeout before stepping up to bat to keep the party going in the Bronx a little longer.
Aaron Judge had just hit a grand slam to put the Yankees ahead in no doubt, ending a 16-game streak without a home run that was normal for other players but dessert for Judge, inspiring a crowd of 45,292 to roar from the chest, yell “MVP” and follow the team captain out of the dugout for the curtain call.
A quiet first six innings turned into one of the most exciting games of the year, with Judge's one swing resulting in a hit in a 5-4 win over the Red Sox on Friday night.
Judge's 52nd homer of the season and his first since Aug. 25 gave the Yankees (86-62) their third straight win and sixth in their last eight games.
The Orioles' loss at Detroit extended their AL East lead to three games.
