Aaron Judge’s grand slam in the seventh inning was a game-changer for the New York Yankees, ending his longest home run drought and leading the team to a 5-4 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Friday night. After a 16-game, 75-plate-appearance homerless streak, Judge’s crucial shot off reliever Cam Booser put the Yankees ahead 5-4 and sparked a raucous celebration at Yankee Stadium.
The win was the Yankees’ third consecutive victory, extending their AL East lead to three games over the Baltimore Orioles, who were narrowly defeated by the Detroit Tigers. This marks the Yankees’ largest lead since a June slump.
Judge, who now leads the majors with 52 home runs and 130 RBIs, hadn’t hit a home run since August 25. His grand slam was his eighth career slam and second of the season. His recent struggle with power hitting had reached a career-low, but this clutch performance revitalized the Yankees’ momentum.
Mark Leiter Jr. earned the win with four outs in relief of Clarke Schmidt, while Luke Weaver secured his second career save with two scoreless innings. The Red Sox, now 4.5 games out of the wild card spot, saw a promising lead slip away despite Richard Fitts’ five scoreless innings and Trevor Story’s two-run homer.
Judge’s grand slam was a highlight in a game that saw the Yankees rally after being down 4-0. The victory was described by Schmidt as potentially his most memorable win, emphasizing the significance of Judge’s dramatic hit in a high-stakes atmosphere.
Overall, the win not only extended the Yankees’ winning streak but also bolstered their position in the standings, providing a crucial boost as they push towards the playoffs.