Aaron Judge ended his 11-game homerless stretch in dramatic fashion, lifting the Yankees to a 2-0 win over the Rays with a walk-off two-run home run at Yankee Stadium. It was the fourth walk-off homer of his career and the eighth walk-off hit overall, giving New York its third walk-off win of the season.
The blast came after eight scoreless innings in a tightly played American League East matchup. Ryan Weathers and Drew Rasmussen each worked seven strong frames, keeping both offenses quiet before Judge broke the deadlock against Kevin Kelly.
Judge delivers when the Yankees need it most
Judge came into Sunday in a 4-for-35 slump, but the captain found the right swing at the right moment. His homer off Kelly ended a game that had featured little offense and rewarded a Yankees club that had struggled to generate much support all afternoon.
The win also showed how quickly one swing can change the tone of a game. New York had been held scoreless through eight innings, and the Rays had matched that effort pitch for pitch until Judge sent the home crowd home happy.
Defense helped keep the game within reach
The Yankees needed more than just late power to stay alive, and their defense delivered in the eighth inning. Cody Bellinger made his third outfield assist of the season, throwing out Junior Caminero at third base after Ryan Vilade’s single to left field.
Ryan McMahon applied the tag before pinch-runner Oliver Dunn could score, and replay confirmed the out at third. Judge also made a diving catch in the same inning to take a hit away from Jonathan Aranda, preserving the scoreless tie.
Strong outings from both starters kept runs hard to come by
Weathers settled in after describing his previous start as a “mixed bag of results,” and he again showed why he has been effective in his first season with the Yankees. He allowed four hits and three walks while striking out four, but New York once again gave him no run support.
That marked the fifth time this season the Yankees failed to score behind Weathers. Rasmussen was just as difficult to solve, continuing his strong record against New York with another efficient outing that extended his success versus the club.
In eight career starts against the Yankees, Rasmussen now owns an 0.93 ERA, allowing five earned runs in 48 1/3 innings with 54 strikeouts and only 10 walks. He also beat New York on April 12 at Tropicana Field, underscoring how well he has matched up with the lineup.
Judge’s final swing made the difference in a game defined by pitching, defense, and patience. The Yankees left Yankee Stadium with another walk-off win, and Judge once again supplied the decisive moment when the game finally opened for one pitch.
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