Aaron Judge had two full days off, then a relatively quiet night until his last at bat on Tuesday.
The judge hit a hit Orioles closer Felix Bautista in the ninth inning, and the New York Yankees beat Baltimore 6-5 in 10 innings
THE Yankees will seek its sixth straight win on Wednesday when American League East opponents play the middle game of a three-game series
New York is 15-5 in its last 20 games since dropping to .500 on May 1. Yankees are a 10-game season high above .500 after Judge took Bautista deep with one out in the ninth and rookie Anthony Volpe delivered a game-ending sacrificial fly in the 10th
“They’ve got one of the best bullpen … in the game, especially Bautista, who’s had our number for the last two years,” Judge said. “He’s got a 100 mph fastball, great split-slider combo. So just in that situation, I was trying to stay ready for that radiator and I was able to get something in the zone.”
Judge went 1 for 4 in Game 1 of the series after resting Sunday before the team’s Monday off. Since returning from a stint on the disabled list caused by a strained right hip, the reigning AL MVP is hitting .367 (18 for 49) with eight home runs and 19 RBIs in 13 games.
“Just watching him and watching him grow in this game and watching who he’s become, none of those superlatives are too surprising,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said
THE Orioles are 9-4 in their last 13 games since a three-game losing streak from May 6-8
Cedric Mullins and Gunnar Henderson beat New York ace Gerrit Cole in the series opener. Adam Frazier added a two-point brace, but the Orioles had just one hit in the last five innings and Bautista had a save for the fourth time in 15 chances
“It’s disappointing to lose this kind of game, but they’re a really good team there and we had opportunities to push more points,” Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde said. “I’m happy with the way we fought at the plate. One run lead before the ninth, you take a chance with Bautista.”
Tyler Wells (3-1, 2.94 ERA), who is the major league leader in WHIP (.79) and opponent’s batting average (.168, second), will start for the Orioles Wednesday
In 11 career appearances (five starts) against the Yankees, Wells is 0-4 with a 4.68 ERA. He held the Yankees at .220 batting average and .267 on-base percentage, but allowed six homers in 32 2/3 innings against them. The right-hander faced the last Yankees on April 9 in Baltimore, when he served two homers and allowed four runs over six innings in a 5-3 loss
Wells is 3-0 with a 2.52 ERA in his last six starts. He earned a no-decision Thursday when he allowed three runs in five innings against the Los Angeles Angels.
Nestor Cortes (4-2, 5.21 ERA) will face Wells for the second time this season. The southpaw allowed two runs on five hits in six innings in Toronto Thursday and earned his first victory since April 20.
Cortes allowed two runs on four hits in 5 1/3 innings when he faced Wells and the Orioles April 9. He is 4-0 with a 1.37 ERA in eight career appearances (six starts) against Baltimore
–Field-Level Media