Aaron Boone praised an “MVP-like” performance from Aaron Judge after the New York Yankees star inspired a 9-6 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 after losing 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 Giancarlo Stanton sacrifice fly, the American League record holder for home runs in a single season tied the game in remarkable fashion.
AL MVP candidate Judge incredibly hammered a Louis Varland pitch that was just under 100 mph and 1.2 feet inside (relative to the center of the strike zone) 373 feet before hitting the foul pole for a home run that tied the Yankees at 6-6.
It was the first time in the pitch-tracking era, which began in 2008, that a player hit a home run on a pitch that far inland and at more than 99 mph.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. then 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 Ben Rice sac fly.
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.
Judge’s ‘incredible swing’ propels Yankees
Asked about Judge’s homer, Boone said: “That’s an incredible swing. That’s a shade of Edgar Martínez right there, taking that shot high and tight and keeping it right down the line. Manny Ramirez was doing it really well too. But just a great swing on a pretty nasty pitch obviously.
“I’m happy for him and that he really had an incredible game. And you also consider the defense, just a great MVP-type performance.
“It was the best player in the game type performance. It was special when obviously, needless to say, our backs are against the wall and then some in a game 3 situation.”
The Yankees must repeat the feat Wednesday to send the series back to Toronto for Game 5.
“We’ll need another one tomorrow,” Boone added. “We’re going to enjoy it for about 10 minutes and get ready for tomorrow.”
Mariners to one victory
The Seattle Mariners are one game away from winning their ALDS series with the Detroit Tigers after an 8-4 road victory.
Seattle scored three times to take an 8-1 lead in the ninth, with a late Tigers burst unable to spoil a superb effort from pitcher Logan Gilbert, who struck out seven batters in six deep innings with his start.
With their victory Wednesday at Comerica Park, the Mariners will advance to the American League Championship Series for the first time since the 2001 season.
“It was a vintage Logan,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said.
“He attacked the zone. He made good counts. And he let the split and the slider do its work for him and kept it in stride.
“It was a vintage Logan, I thought. And to have that, as you mentioned, on the road in a big game tonight after a long rain delay. You can’t discredit that either. Being able to go out and throw an outing like that after waiting a few hours is another feather in his cap.
“So he answered the call tonight, without a doubt, and that was what we needed, for sure.”
