MLB: Judge’s MVP-like performance keeps Yankees alive while Mariners take 2-1 lead
The New York Yankees avoided a sweep at the hands of the Toronto Blue Jays.
Aaron Boone hailed an “MVP-like” performance from Aaron Judge after the New York Yankees star inspired a 9-6 comeback win over the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League Division Series.
Facing elimination, the Yankees trailed 6-1 in the third inning of Game 3 in New York having lost each of the first two games of the best-of-five series in Toronto.
But after an RBI double from Judge, who then played a key role in helping Cody Bellinger score on a sacrifice fly from Giancarlo Stanton, the American League record holder for home runs in a single season tied the game in remarkable fashion.
AL MVP contender Judge incredibly hammered a pitch from Louis Varland that was just shy of 100mph and 1.2ft inside (vs. the centre of the strike zone) 373 feet before it clattered into the foul pole for a home run that drew the Yankees level at 6-6.
It marked the first time in the pitch-tracking era, which began in 2008, that a player had homered on a pitch that far inside and over 99mph.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. subsequently homered in a two-run fifth inning to give the Yankees the lead, with Judge capping the turnaround in the sixth when he scored on a sac fly from Ben Rice.
Judge finished 3-4 with an intentional walk that also resulted in a run, while making diving catches in the fifth and sixth in an outstanding defensive display from the right fielder.
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Judge’s ‘amazing swing’ propels Yankees
Asked about Judge’s homer, Boone said: “It’s an amazing swing. That’s shades of Edgar Martínez right there, taking that high and tight one and keeping it fair down the line. Manny Ramirez used to do that really well too. But just a great swing on a pretty nasty pitch obviously.
“I’m happy for him and that he had such an amazing game really. And you consider the defense as well, just an awesome MVP-like performance.
“It was best player in the game type performance. It was special when obviously, needless to say, we’re backs against the wall and then some in a Game 3 situation.”
The Yankees need to repeat the feat on Wednesday to send the series back to Toronto for Game 5.
“We need another one tomorrow,” Boone added. “We’ll enjoy this for about 10 minutes and get ready for tomorrow.”
Mariners one win away
The Seattle Mariners are a game away from winning their ALDS series with the Detroit Tigers after a 8-4 win on the road.
Seattle homered three times to take an 8-1 lead into the ninth, with a late flurry from the Tigers unable to spoil a superb effort from pitcher Logan Gilbert, who struck out seven hitters in going six innings deep with his start.
With victory on Wednesday at Comerica Park, the Mariners will advance to the American League Championship Series for the first time since the 2001 season.
“It was vintage Logan,” Mariners manger Dan Wilson said.
“He attacked the zone. He got into good counts. And he let the split and the slider do his work for him and kept him in stride.
“It was vintage Logan, I thought. And to get that, as you mentioned, on the road in a big game tonight after a long rain delay. You can’t discredit that either. Able to come out and throw an outing like that after waiting a couple of hours is another feather in his cap.
“So he answered the call tonight, no question about it, and it was what we needed, for sure.”