Tigers 3, Yankees 5: Rizz Squadron Before Judge’s first career ejection, his friend Rizzo launched a baseball into a galaxy far, far away.
Perhaps not quite to the extent of a fully functional and armed war station, the Yankees bats had some resemblance to that. They scored four runs in the third inning, highlighted by a three-run home drive by Anthony Rizzo. The Yankees prevailed 5-3 to reclaim the series victory, but the home-plate umpire diverted attention from the action on the field by ejecting Aaron Judge for the first time in his career.
After giving up a leadoff home run to Gunnar Henderson in his previous start, Clarke Schmidt has been struggling lately. He started today by giving Riley Greene a leadoff bomb on the third pitch of the afternoon. Out of the gate, the command was a little weak overall, but he managed to get out of a plunking by Kerry Carpenter by striking out two in the inning. Judge led out with a two-out line drive single, and the rest of the inning unfolded in a way that was uncannily identical to last night’s walk-off ninth inning. Giancarlo Stanton was subsequently brought to second base by Alex Verdugo with a swinging bunt that went about as far toward third as his genuine bunt from last night.
the plate that has two on it. In order to even the score, he lasered a single to the opposite field, and his ability to launch fastballs with tremendous velocity (97 mph yesterday and 96 mph today) into the opposite field has been very encouraging. After the first-inning home run, Schmidt appeared to get comfortable with his technique after two Ks. In the second, he retired the side in order after 14 pitches, and in the third, he mowed down the top of the order, striking out the side. In the bottom of the third, Anthony Volpe led off with a walk and Juan Soto singled to put runners on the corners for Judge, resuming the top of the Yankees order. He used an elevated splitter as a tomahawk to
to left to drive in Volpe, with runners on second and third without an out after the double. It appeared as though the Bombers would blow this fantastic chance, but Anthony Rizzo once again delivered. After Friday night’s walk-off single, Rizzo discussed the importance of slowing down in high-stakes scenarios. He most definitely succeeded in doing so when he blasted a 1-1 fastball off the side facing the second deck, giving the Yankees a 5-1 lead.
After being rung up in the seventh inning, home-plate umpire Ryan Blakney had been calling pitches off the plate to righties as strikes the entire game. Judge had had enough and walked back to the dugout after voicing his objection. Halfway back to the dugout, Blakney threw Judge out of the game, not wanting to lose his opportunity to steal the show. Judge’s reaction was the furiest I can remember witnessing from him.
It’s amazing that this was Judge’s first ejection in seven seasons (or at any level) considering all the strikes that have been called at his ankles over the years. Rizzo, his friend, at least had the captain’s back when he responded to Blakney with an A+. The New York bullpen continued to go 23.1 innings without giving up an earned run, despite the Yankees offense failing to score after the third. Closer Clay Holmes secured the four-out save, his 11th of 2024, after pulling off a double play and fanned two Tigers on Wednesday in Baltimore. In 16 games, he maintained his own perfect 0.00 ERA as well. Tomorrow, the Yankees aim to complete the sweep with