Aaron Judge’s first career grand slam puts The New York Yankees over the Athletics and helps the Yankees secure another series win.
- Oakland Athletics (22-27): 5
- New York Yankees (29-18): 9
- American League, FINAL, Box Score
- Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Aaron Judge’s had a day, as did the rest of the Yankees offense. Timely hitting combined with a solid outing by Pineda lead the New York Yankees to secure another series win.
The A’s struck first in the top of the second inning when Ryon Healy doubled two runs in over the head of third basemen Ronald Torreyes, down the left field line. The A’s would take an early 2-0 lead.
And the A's strike first!
Healy with a two-RBI double and we lead 2-0.#RootedInOakland pic.twitter.com/yHGeWtbad8— Oakland Athletics ??⚾️ (@Athletics) May 28, 2017
The Yanks quickly answered in the bottom of the second thanks to a pair of hits by Starlin Castro and Didi Gregorius. A bad throw by Oakland’s left fielder Khris Davis allowed the runners to advance to second and third with just one out. Aaron Hicks delivered on with a sacrifice fly to score Castro, and the Yankees would cut it to a one-run game. That RBI would be Hicks’ twenty-first in 2017.
Two singles and an Aaron Hicks sac fly gets us on the board! #LetsGoYankees pic.twitter.com/5Q70Q2Kr6A
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 28, 2017
The Yankees loaded the bases in the bottom of the third inning with just one out thanks to a dropped ball by Athletics right fielder Matt Joyce. However, Andrew Triggs got Starlin Castro to strike out and was just one step closer to getting out of the inning with a 2-1 lead. But then…
All Rise.
Aaron Judge just hit his first career grand slam https://t.co/qvQQTz5o8x pic.twitter.com/6dStj6tyHr
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) May 28, 2017
The Honorable Aaron Judge would not allow his team to be disrespected in his courtroom when he lined an 112 mph grand slam into right-center field. That would be Judge’s 16th homer this season, and his first career grand slam. Judge regained the league lead in homers as he is now tied with Angels outfielder Mike Trout. With that grand slam, the Yankees would take a 5-2 lead.
Oakland failed to respond in the fourth, but the Yankees didn’t fail to tack on to their lead. Chris Carter hit a sacrifice fly to left center field allowing Aaron Hicks to score extending the Yankees lead to 6-2.
Hicks scores on a Carter sac fly and it's 6-2 Yankees heading to the 5th!#LetsGoYankees pic.twitter.com/lCVh9I2jCH
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 28, 2017
The A’s tacked on a run when Khris Davis dribbled one back to the mound, and Michael Pineda overshot his first basemen allowing Jed Lowrie to score, and Oakland cut it to a three-run game.
May have been an error, but we'll take it!
KD reaches on a throwing error and Jed scores. We trail 6-3. #LetsGoOakland— Oakland Athletics ??⚾️ (@Athletics) May 28, 2017
Chad Green would replace Pineda in the seventh inning, but Pineda put together another strong performance. His final line six innings pitched and three runs allowed. Andrew Triggs would also be yanked in the seventh, his line would be six innings pitched, six runs, but just one of those runs were earned.
The Yankees added some insurance to their lead in the bottom of the seventh. Gary Sanchez doubled in Ronald Torreyes to extend the Yankees lead to 7-4. That RBI was Sanchez’s twelfth of the year.
Torreyes scores on the @ElGarySanchez RBI double and it's 7-3 Yankees after 7 innings! pic.twitter.com/RE3glNrygp
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 28, 2017
The A’s would not go away in this one, as Chad Green served up a fat fastball to Khris Davis who crushed it into the left-field seats for a two-run homer. The Yankees lead would be just two runs. That homer was his fifteenth of the year trailing Aaron Judge and Mike Trout by just one homer.
BOOM.
Khris launches a two-run homer.
We trail 7-5.#LetsGoOakland pic.twitter.com/Lo2cncWp41— Oakland Athletics ??⚾️ (@Athletics) May 28, 2017
The Yankees tacked on some more insurance runs on a bases loaded double by Brett Gardner. Two runs would score, and the score would now be 9-5 Yankees.
Despite a little scare in the seventh inning, the Yankees bullpen did their job. Girardi needed to get creative since the pen is a bit worn out lately, and he did so successfully. The two-run double by Gardner would allow Dellin Betances to get a rest for today, Adam Warren would pick up his first save of the year, and the Yankees would hold on to win 9-5.
HEADLEY BENCHED AGAIN:
For the second straight game, Yankee’s third basemen Chase Headley was not in the starting lineup. It’s no secret that Headley has been struggling lately and that Yankees top prospect Gleyber Torres is now just a call away from taking his spot. Not sure if there is a ton to read into here, but it is certainly worth noting.
INJURY UPDATES:
- Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman has begun throwing and is not far away from a return from the club.
- Tyler Austin has been on fire during his rehab assignment with a batting average over .400 as he could make it interesting for Greg Bird
- First Basemen Greg Bird continues his rehab in Tampa and is expected to play later in the week.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The Bombers begin a three-game set with the now third place Orioles tomorrow afternoon. Left-hander Jordan Montgomery will take the mound for the Yankees, and Baltimore will hand the ball to Dylan Bundy.
First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. ET, will be telecasted on the YES Network and broadcasted on WFAN 660/101.9 FM.
