Aaron Judge snapped out of a nasty funk in the most dramatic way possible Sunday, launching a two-run, opposite-field walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth to give the New York Yankees a 2-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium. The shot scored pinch-runner Max Schuemann after Trent Grisham worked a leadoff walk and was lifted for speed. Judge’s late jolt, his 17th homer of the season, ended a prolonged slump and delivered a badly needed win in the Bronx.
Pitching duel through seven innings
For most of the afternoon it was all about the arms. Ryan Weathers spun seven scoreless innings for New York, and Drew Rasmussen matched him with seven shutout frames for Tampa Bay, according to NBC Sports. Weathers scattered four hits, walked three and struck out four. Rasmussen yielded five hits and struck out six, keeping both lineups quiet and setting the stage for late-inning drama.
Judge goes the other way to end it
With the game still 0-0 in the ninth, Judge finally broke it open. Facing reliever Kevin Kelly, he drove an opposite-field two-run home run that turned a tense scoreless grind into an instant walk-off win. The official box score lists the 2-0 final, with Tim Hill credited with the victory and Kelly tagged with the loss, as shown on MLB.com.
Snapping a slump
Judge entered the game mired in a brutal stretch, having gone 1-for-24 and sitting on an 11-game homerless drought, a skid laid out in pregame notes from CBS Sports. So when the walk-off left the yard, it landed as more than just a win. It looked like a reset button for a lineup that has been fighting to manufacture runs.
Boone holds a cautiously optimistic line
Manager Aaron Boone tried to keep things grounded even as the team exhaled a bit. He acknowledged the club has been in a rough patch but insisted the mood inside the room has not cracked. "I feel we have a good run in us here," Boone said, as reported by the New York Post.
What it means for the Bronx
The victory does not wipe away the Yankees’ recent struggles, yet it does hand New York a well-timed jolt of confidence as the club tries to stack wins at home. The full box score and gameday breakdown on MLB.com capture the numbers behind a win that felt bigger than the final 2-0 line.
