NEW YORK -- Surrounded at his locker after another eye-turning performance, Aaron Judge thought for a few seconds when asked if he had ever been this hot at the plate.
"Maybe Tee-ball," he said, widening his smile.
The 6-foot-7 rookie sensation hit another long drive for his major league-leading 13th home run , singled to start the go-ahead rally and had the first three-hit game of his big league career, helping the New York Yankees rally from a four-run deficit to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 8-6 on Wednesday night.
"Judge has been out of this world," Yankees third baseman Chase Headley said, with only a bit of hyperbole.
Matt Holliday hit his 300th home run , a three-run shot in the first, and Brett Gardner helped spark his teammates by destroying a blue recycling bin in the dugout with four mighty cuts of his bat after he was called out on strikes by Bill Welke in the sixth.
"They'll probably fine me 15 or 20 bucks, and we'll get a new one the next home stand," Gardner said. "It felt good. It was a plastic trash can, so I was able to handle it pretty well. Better that than the cement wall."
Capping a 4-2 home stand that left the Yankees atop the AL East at 17-9, pinch-hitter Didi Gregorius drove in the go-ahead run in a three-run seventh with a comebacker that could have been an inning-ending double play but instead bounced off the glove of reliever Joe Biagini (0-1) for an infield single.
Steve Pearce's third homer in two days , a three-run shot, helped Toronto take a 4-0 lead against CC Sabathia after 16 pitches. The Blue Jays led 6-3 before Judge's two-run homer in the third, a 435-foot drive into the netting above Monument Park behind the center-field wall.
Selected the AL Rookie of the Month for April, Judge raised his average to .330 and has six homers in his last six games. He also has hit the second-most home runs through 26 games in Yankees history, one behind Alex Rodriguez in 2007.
New York is 11-0 when Judge homers. The right fielder, who turned 25 last week, tries to deflect attention toward his teammates.
"The good thing about him is you can tell from his demeanor and his attitude that he wants to improve, he wants to be better and he handles himself the right way, not only on the field but off the field," former Yankees captain Derek Jeter said in a video interview on the team's website. "So I'm a fan of his."
Those remarks touched Judge.
"It's incredible, especially a guy I looked up to for years growing up, to hear him say that," he said. "It's special. It's humbling."
Judge sparked the seventh-inning burst with a one-out single on a 1-2 offspeed pitch from Biagini, who had struck out his first five batters. Judge took third on Headley's double and scored the tying run on Chris Carter's broken-bat single to short left over a drawn-in infield.
Tyler Clippard, Dellin Betances (3-1) and Aroldis Chapman combined to retire Toronto's last 11 batters, and Chapman got three outs to remain perfect in six save chances.
Blue Jays starter Marcus Stroman left after three innings because of tightness in his right armpit. He allowed five runs and six hits in his shortest start since the Chicago White Sox chased him after two outs on Aug. 15, 2014.
Unable to throw his cutter inside, Sabathia gave up six runs, seven hits and four walks in four-plus innings. His ERA has risen from 2.25 to 5.45 in his last three outings.
Both teams were unhappy with Welke's wide strike zone, Gardner, Aaron Hicks and Holliday took called third strikes from Biagini in the sixth, and Yankees manager Joe Girardi was ejected for arguing a called strike to Starlin Castro leading off the seventh.
"There were four pitches that I felt weren't strikes," said Girardi, who thought Welke's zone improved after his departure. "I was more pleased with it."
Gardner walked on a close 3-2 pitch from Joe Smith in the seventh, and Hicks followed with a walk on a 3-1 offering that forced in a run and gave the Yankees a two-run lead.
Gardner said teammates wouldn't speak with him after the game.
"They probably think I'm still angry and they're scared to say something," he explained with a grin.
Gardner has a seven-game hitting streak that includes four homers. His only disappointment was his lumber's demise.
"That bat's been good to me the last week or so," he said.
STILL SEARCHING
Rookie Kyle Higashioka took a called third strike from Biagini in the fifth, stranding the bases loaded, and went 0 for 3. He is hitless in 18 big league at-bats and likely will be sent to the minors later this week when starting catcher Gary Sanchez comes off the disabled list.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Yankees: CF Jacoby Ellsbury, sidelined since Monday with a bruised nerve in his left elbow, will be evaluated Thursday so the Yankees can decide whether they need another position player for their weekend series at the Chicago Cubs. ... Sanchez, who hasn't played for the Yankees since April 8 because of a strained right biceps, went 1 for 4 in the second game of his rehab assignment at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and likely will be activated Friday. ... Austin Romine, the primary catcher in Sanchez's absence, did not play after leaving Tuesday's game because of a groin cramp.
UP NEXT
Yankees: RHP Michael Pineda (3-1) starts Friday's series opener at the Chicago Cubs.
---
More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball
Toronto Blue Jays
"Maybe Tee-ball," he said, widening his smile.
The 6-foot-7 rookie sensation hit another long drive for his major league-leading 13th home run , singled to start the go-ahead rally and had the first three-hit game of his big league career, helping the New York Yankees rally from a four-run deficit to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 8-6 on Wednesday night.
"Judge has been out of this world," Yankees third baseman Chase Headley said, with only a bit of hyperbole.
Matt Holliday hit his 300th home run , a three-run shot in the first, and Brett Gardner helped spark his teammates by destroying a blue recycling bin in the dugout with four mighty cuts of his bat after he was called out on strikes by Bill Welke in the sixth.
"They'll probably fine me 15 or 20 bucks, and we'll get a new one the next home stand," Gardner said. "It felt good. It was a plastic trash can, so I was able to handle it pretty well. Better that than the cement wall."
Capping a 4-2 home stand that left the Yankees atop the AL East at 17-9, pinch-hitter Didi Gregorius drove in the go-ahead run in a three-run seventh with a comebacker that could have been an inning-ending double play but instead bounced off the glove of reliever Joe Biagini (0-1) for an infield single.
Steve Pearce's third homer in two days , a three-run shot, helped Toronto take a 4-0 lead against CC Sabathia after 16 pitches. The Blue Jays led 6-3 before Judge's two-run homer in the third, a 435-foot drive into the netting above Monument Park behind the center-field wall.
Selected the AL Rookie of the Month for April, Judge raised his average to .330 and has six homers in his last six games. He also has hit the second-most home runs through 26 games in Yankees history, one behind Alex Rodriguez in 2007.
New York is 11-0 when Judge homers. The right fielder, who turned 25 last week, tries to deflect attention toward his teammates.
"The good thing about him is you can tell from his demeanor and his attitude that he wants to improve, he wants to be better and he handles himself the right way, not only on the field but off the field," former Yankees captain Derek Jeter said in a video interview on the team's website. "So I'm a fan of his."
Those remarks touched Judge.
"It's incredible, especially a guy I looked up to for years growing up, to hear him say that," he said. "It's special. It's humbling."
Judge sparked the seventh-inning burst with a one-out single on a 1-2 offspeed pitch from Biagini, who had struck out his first five batters. Judge took third on Headley's double and scored the tying run on Chris Carter's broken-bat single to short left over a drawn-in infield.
Tyler Clippard, Dellin Betances (3-1) and Aroldis Chapman combined to retire Toronto's last 11 batters, and Chapman got three outs to remain perfect in six save chances.
Blue Jays starter Marcus Stroman left after three innings because of tightness in his right armpit. He allowed five runs and six hits in his shortest start since the Chicago White Sox chased him after two outs on Aug. 15, 2014.
Unable to throw his cutter inside, Sabathia gave up six runs, seven hits and four walks in four-plus innings. His ERA has risen from 2.25 to 5.45 in his last three outings.
Both teams were unhappy with Welke's wide strike zone, Gardner, Aaron Hicks and Holliday took called third strikes from Biagini in the sixth, and Yankees manager Joe Girardi was ejected for arguing a called strike to Starlin Castro leading off the seventh.
"There were four pitches that I felt weren't strikes," said Girardi, who thought Welke's zone improved after his departure. "I was more pleased with it."
Gardner walked on a close 3-2 pitch from Joe Smith in the seventh, and Hicks followed with a walk on a 3-1 offering that forced in a run and gave the Yankees a two-run lead.
Gardner said teammates wouldn't speak with him after the game.
"They probably think I'm still angry and they're scared to say something," he explained with a grin.
Gardner has a seven-game hitting streak that includes four homers. His only disappointment was his lumber's demise.
"That bat's been good to me the last week or so," he said.
STILL SEARCHING
Rookie Kyle Higashioka took a called third strike from Biagini in the fifth, stranding the bases loaded, and went 0 for 3. He is hitless in 18 big league at-bats and likely will be sent to the minors later this week when starting catcher Gary Sanchez comes off the disabled list.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Yankees: CF Jacoby Ellsbury, sidelined since Monday with a bruised nerve in his left elbow, will be evaluated Thursday so the Yankees can decide whether they need another position player for their weekend series at the Chicago Cubs. ... Sanchez, who hasn't played for the Yankees since April 8 because of a strained right biceps, went 1 for 4 in the second game of his rehab assignment at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and likely will be activated Friday. ... Austin Romine, the primary catcher in Sanchez's absence, did not play after leaving Tuesday's game because of a groin cramp.
UP NEXT
Yankees: RHP Michael Pineda (3-1) starts Friday's series opener at the Chicago Cubs.
---
More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball
7:00PM,EDT,May 3,2017
Yankee Stadium, New York,New York
Yankee Stadium, New York,New York
| View: Play-By-Play | Pitch-By-Pitch | Inning: All | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| Toronto - Top of 1st | SCORE | |
|---|---|---|
| CC Sabathia pitching for New York | TOR | NYY |
| Pillar singled to left. | 0 | 0 |
| Bautista singled to left, Pillar to second. | 0 | 0 |
| Martin struck out looking. | 0 | 0 |
| Morales flied out to right, Pillar to third. | 0 | 0 |
| Smoak singled to center, Pillar scored, Bautista to second. | 1 | 0 |
| Pearce homered to left (397 feet), Bautista and Smoak scored. | 4 | 0 |
| Travis lined out to right. | 4 | 0 |
| 4 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 1st | SCORE | |
| Marcus Stroman pitching for Toronto | TOR | NYY |
| Gardner singled to left. | 4 | 0 |
| Hicks walked, Gardner to second. | 4 | 0 |
| Holliday homered to center (440 feet), Gardner and Hicks scored. | 4 | 3 |
| Castro grounded out to shortstop. | 4 | 3 |
| Judge singled to right. | 4 | 3 |
| Judge caught stealing second, catcher to shortstop. | 4 | 3 |
| Headley walked. | 4 | 3 |
| Carter struck out swinging. | 4 | 3 |
| 3 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Toronto - Top of 2nd | SCORE | |
| CC Sabathia pitching for New York | TOR | NYY |
| Barney doubled to left. | 4 | 3 |
| Goins reached on bunt single to third, Barney to third. | 4 | 3 |
| Pillar grounded out to pitcher, Goins to second. | 4 | 3 |
| Bautista walked. | 4 | 3 |
| Martin walked, Barney scored, Goins to third, Bautista to second. | 5 | 3 |
| Morales grounded into fielder's choice to first, Goins scored, Martin out at second, Bautista to third. | 6 | 3 |
| Smoak flied out to right. | 6 | 3 |
| 2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Marcus Stroman pitching for Toronto | TOR | NYY |
| Torreyes struck out swinging. | 6 | 3 |
| Higashioka walked. | 6 | 3 |
| Gardner singled to left, Higashioka to second. | 6 | 3 |
| Hicks grounded out to first, Higashioka to third, Gardner to second. | 6 | 3 |
| Holliday grounded out to second. | 6 | 3 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Toronto - Top of 3rd | SCORE | |
| CC Sabathia pitching for New York | TOR | NYY |
| Pearce walked. | 6 | 3 |
| Travis struck out swinging. | 6 | 3 |
| Barney grounded into double play, shortstop to second to first, Pearce out at second. | 6 | 3 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Marcus Stroman pitching for Toronto | TOR | NYY |
| Castro singled to center. | 6 | 3 |
| Judge homered to center (426 feet), Castro scored. | 6 | 5 |
| Headley grounded out to third. | 6 | 5 |
| Carter flied out to center. | 6 | 5 |
| Torreyes grounded out to pitcher. | 6 | 5 |
| 2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Toronto - Top of 4th | SCORE | |
| CC Sabathia pitching for New York | TOR | NYY |
| Goins struck out looking. | 6 | 5 |
| Pillar struck out looking. | 6 | 5 |
| Bautista struck out swinging. | 6 | 5 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 4th | SCORE | |
| Ryan Tepera pitching for Toronto | TOR | NYY |
| Tepera relieved Stroman. | 6 | 5 |
| Higashioka lined out to third. | 6 | 5 |
| Gardner walked. | 6 | 5 |
| Hicks walked, Gardner to second. | 6 | 5 |
| Holliday grounded into double play, third to second to first, Hicks out at second. | 6 | 5 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Toronto - Top of 5th | SCORE | |
| CC Sabathia pitching for New York | TOR | NYY |
| Martin walked. | 6 | 5 |
| Morales singled to shallow right, Martin to second. | 6 | 5 |
| Warren relieved Sabathia. | 6 | 5 |
| Smoak flied out to right. | 6 | 5 |
| Pearce struck out swinging. | 6 | 5 |
| Martin to third, Morales to second on wild pitch by Warren. | 6 | 5 |
| Travis grounded out to shortstop. | 6 | 5 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 5th | SCORE | |
| Ryan Tepera pitching for Toronto | TOR | NYY |
| Castro singled to right center. | 6 | 5 |
| Judge flied out to right. | 6 | 5 |
| Headley flied out to left. | 6 | 5 |
| Carter singled to center, Castro to third. | 6 | 5 |
| Torreyes walked, Carter to second. | 6 | 5 |
| Biagini relieved Tepera. | 6 | 5 |
| Higashioka struck out looking. | 6 | 5 |
| 0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Toronto - Top of 6th | SCORE | |
| Tyler Clippard pitching for New York | TOR | NYY |
| Clippard relieved Warren. | 6 | 5 |
| Barney singled to left. | 6 | 5 |
| Goins sacrificed to third, Barney to second. | 6 | 5 |
| Pillar walked. | 6 | 5 |
| Bautista struck out swinging. | 6 | 5 |
| Martin grounded out to third. | 6 | 5 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 6th | SCORE | |
| Joe Biagini pitching for Toronto | TOR | NYY |
| Gardner struck out looking. | 6 | 5 |
| Hicks struck out looking. | 6 | 5 |
| Holliday struck out looking. | 6 | 5 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Toronto - Top of 7th | SCORE | |
| Tyler Clippard pitching for New York | TOR | NYY |
| Morales struck out swinging. | 6 | 5 |
| Smoak lined out to center. | 6 | 5 |
| Betances relieved Clippard. | 6 | 5 |
| Pearce struck out swinging. | 6 | 5 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 7th | SCORE | |
| Joe Biagini pitching for Toronto | TOR | NYY |
| Manager J Girardi ejected by B Welke in the 7th. | 6 | 5 |
| Castro struck out swinging. | 6 | 5 |
| Judge singled to left. | 6 | 5 |
| Headley doubled to right, Judge to third. | 6 | 5 |
| Carter singled to left, Judge scored, Headley to third. | 6 | 6 |
| Gregorius hit for Torreyes. | 6 | 6 |
| Gregorius reached on infield single to pitcher, Headley scored, Carter to second. | 6 | 7 |
| Smith relieved Biagini. | 6 | 7 |
| Higashioka struck out looking. | 6 | 7 |
| Gardner walked, Carter to third, Gregorius to second. | 6 | 7 |
| Hicks walked, Carter scored, Gregorius to third, Gardner to second. | 6 | 8 |
| Holliday grounded into fielder's choice to third, Hicks out at second. | 6 | 8 |
| 3 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Toronto - Top of 8th | SCORE | |
| Dellin Betances pitching for New York | TOR | NYY |
| Gregorius at shortstop. | 6 | 8 |
| Travis flied out to center. | 6 | 8 |
| Coghlan hit for Barney. | 6 | 8 |
| Coghlan grounded out to second. | 6 | 8 |
| Goins struck out swinging. | 6 | 8 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 8th | SCORE | |
| Roberto Osuna pitching for Toronto | TOR | NYY |
| Coghlan at third base. | 6 | 8 |
| Osuna relieved Smith. | 6 | 8 |
| Castro struck out swinging. | 6 | 8 |
| Judge struck out swinging. | 6 | 8 |
| Headley struck out swinging. | 6 | 8 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Toronto - Top of 9th | SCORE | |
| Aroldis Chapman pitching for New York | TOR | NYY |
| Chapman relieved Betances. | 6 | 8 |
| Pillar fouled out to catcher. | 6 | 8 |
| Bautista flied out to right. | 6 | 8 |
| Martin struck out swinging. | 6 | 8 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
Toronto Blue Jays
| Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | #P | AVG | OBP | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pillar CF | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 22 | .302 | .347 | .491 |
| Bautista RF | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 24 | .196 | .328 | .294 |
| Martin C | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 30 | .200 | .364 | .357 |
| Morales DH | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 15 | .225 | .277 | .360 |
| Smoak 1B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | .270 | .298 | .472 |
| Pearce LF | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 18 | .230 | .277 | .393 |
| Travis 2B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12 | .157 | .211 | .236 |
| Barney 3B | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | .308 | .345 | .346 |
a-Coghlan PH-3B
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .250 | .317 | .361 |
| Goins SS | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 13 | .200 | .250 | .364 |
| Totals | 33 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 153 | |||
| a-grounded to second for D Barney in the 8th | ||||||||||
| BATTING 2B: Barney (2, Sabathia) HR: Pearce (3, 1st inning off Sabathia 2 on, 2 Out) RBI: Smoak (13), Pearce 3 (6), Martin (6), Morales (15) S: Goins 2-out RBI: Smoak, Pearce 3 GIDP: Barney Blue Jays RISP: 3-13 (Smoak 1-3, Martin 0-2, Pearce 1-2, Bautista 0-1, Goins 1-1, Travis 0-1, Morales 0-2, Pillar 0-1) Team LOB: 6 | ||||||||||
| FIELDING DP: 1 (Barney-Travis-Smoak). | ||||||||||
Game Notes
| MGR GIRARDI EJECTED BOT 7TH (ARGUING BALLS & STRIKES) |
Game Information
| Stadium | Yankee Stadium, New York, NY |
| Attendance | 35,559 (71.6% full) - % is based on regular season capacity |
| Game Time | 3:39 |
| Weather | 59 degrees, clear |
| Wind | 6 mph |
| Umpires | Home Plate - Bill Welke, First Base - Bruce Dreckman, Second Base - Chad Whitson, Third Base - Mike Everitt |
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