Aaron Judge’s three previous appearances at the plate resulted in three strikeouts. But when he stepped on the plate in the ninth inning on Thursday, that didn’t matter.
All it took was a big swing, with the tieback runners and lead on board, to turn an unforgettable night into a memorable one.
“I knew this was my time to go out and forget about the past and be great to my teammates,” Judge said on a Zoom call from Baltimore. “They were counting on me. At times like that you have to do the job. ”
The judge performed well, securing the Yankees a consecutive 18th victory over the Orioles after they squandered an early lead of five runs. His second home run of the year, and the second in the same number of days, propelled the Yankees to an 8-6 victory at Camden Yards, culminating in a bizarre opening season trip that included four wins in five games.
After Jonathan Loaisiga came forward at the end of the eighth inning, allowing a two-run shot to Pedro Severino, the Yankees’ long streak of wins over the Orioles was questioned. But after Gio Urshela had an initial walk and DJ LeMahieu singled to the opposite field, Judge gave the Yankees the lead, initiating a 2-1 offer from Cole Sulser and returning it to the empty seats on the left. countryside.
“He had a good view of the DJ hit hit in right field. A lot of pitches, I was getting, I really didn’t stay in the middle of the field, ”said Judge. “Something like watching a good DJ swing locked me up. I just had to go big.”
The Yankees now return home to open a three-game series in the Bronx against rival Red Sox who won three in a row, with two bouts against the Phillies postponed due to COVID-19 concerns. There will be no fans at the stadium on Friday night when the Yankees open their local 30-game schedule, just another layer for this bizarre abbreviated season.
“We are looking forward to it. This team loves to play in New York, so we are excited about that, ”said Judge. “It’s definitely going to be different, the Yankees’ first home game without fans. That’s one thing I always look forward to every year, as that place rocks on opening day for us. During the introductions, all of that , is something special.
“It will definitely be different, but we are looking forward to sleeping in our own beds and being at home.”
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