Boston Gave Yanks Fitts Early Before Judge Issued Late Ruling

 

Aaron Judge watching the path of his grand slam in the seventh inning. Photo by Jason Schott.

The Yankees had one of their most thrilling seasons wins of the season on Friday night at a raucous Yankee Stadium, as they stormed back to beat the Boston Red Sox, 5-4, on a game-winning grand slam by Aaron Judge.

This is the Yankees’ third straight win, as they improve to 86-62, and they have opened up a three-game edge on the Baltimore Orioles (83-65), who lost 1-0 in Detroit, in the American League East race. 

Clarke Schmidt made his long-awaited return to the Stadium mound, with Clark Griswold himself, Chevy Chase, in attendance, nearly four months after his last appearance in The Bronx, on May 21 against Seattle. In the start after that, on May 26 in San Diego, he suffered a right lat strain that caused him to miss just over three months. 

The right-hander made his return last Saturday when he threw 4 2/3 innings in a 2-0 Yankees win over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.

Yankees Manager Aaron Boone said, in his pregame press conference on Friday afternoon, what he expected from Schmidt was “that!” in reference to last Saturday.

“Clarke’s in a really good spot, really from the rehab process to his rehab outings, he’s been really sharp, I feel like. Thought he was really good in Chicago, now take another step up, but hopefully, looking for more of the same. I feel like he’s - his stuff’s good, his focus is good, his confidence is where it needs to be, you know, hopefully get us off to a good win tonight.”

There was a late change in who Schmidt would face, as Boston pulled Tanner Houck, due to shoulder fatigue, about an hour before first pitch, and swapped in Richard Fitts, a rookie who only made one start before this one. That was against the Chicago White Sox, the worst team in baseball, last Sunday, while the Yankees entered Friday with the best record in the American League.

Schmidt’s outing began eventfully, as Jarred Duran beat out a dribbler to second base for an infield hit. Then, Duran was erased soon after, as Austin Wells threw him out trying to steal second.

Rafael Devers then singled, but Schmidt then struck out Tyler O’Neill and got Masataka Yoshida to ground out to end the frame.

Clarke Schmidt firing in a strike in the first inning against Tyler O'Neill. Photo by Jason Schott.

In the bottom of the first, after Fitts retired Gleyber Torres and Juan Soto on fly balls to the warning track, he walked Aaron Judge, Austin Wells, and Giancarlo Stanton to load the bases. Jazz Chisholm Jr. then took one deep, but that was caught by Jarren Duran on the right-center field warning track.

Incredibly, that was the best shot the Yankees had against Fitts, as he pitched through the fifth, and yielded just two hits, both to Anthony Rizzo - a single to lead off the second and a double with two outs in the fourth. In between, Fitts retired eight in a row.

Schmidt nearly matched him, as he shutout Boston through five before running into trouble in the sixth.

Duran led off with a single, and then with one out, O’Neill took one to the fence in left field.

As the crowd was still buzzing from that one, Yoshida crushed one to right field for a two-run homer to pit Boston ahead, 2-0.

Masataka Yoshida about to touch the plate on his two-run homer. Photo by Jason Schott.

That was all for Schmidt, who allowed just those two runs on five hits and a walk, with five strikeouts, in 5 2/3 innings, and Boone said of his performance, “I thought he was great. Might have run out (of gas), you know. O'Neill hit that ball pretty good, and I think he probably just missed over the heart of the plate with some cutters to him, back-to-back pitches, and then obviously, Yoshida got him, so, you know, we were short down there today, and I just, so I wanted to get him through there if I could, even though, you know, I was really excited that he was so pitch efficient, really wasn't going to go over 80, 85 with him to get through five, but then he was so efficient going through that sixth. With us being short down there, was hoping he could get through there, and made the mistake to Yoshida, but on balance, he was excellent."

Fitts exited after the fifth, and his impressive line was: 5 innings, 2 hits, 0 runs, 3 walks, two strikeouts.

With Mark Leiter Jr. on for the Yankees in the seventh, Trevor Story blasted a two-run shot to right field to expand Boston’s lead to 4-0. That was the first home run of the season for the oft-injured Boston shortstop.

In the bottom of the seventh, Boston turned to Zack Kelly, who walked Anthony Volpe and Alex Verdugo before Torres got an RBI single to get them on the board. 

Boston then turned to Cam Booser, who proceeded to walk Soto to load the bases. Next up was Judge, who had not homered since August 25.

Juan Soto on his way to first after his walk as Aaron Judge approaches the plate. Photo by Jason Schott.

With the crowd at fever pitch, Judge brushed one into the right field corner for a grand slam that put the Yankees suddenly ahead 5-4

Home run #52 for Judge broke a career-high 16-game homeless streak, and also gave the Yankee captain 130 RBI on the season.

"I mean, obviously, a huge at-bat, and a lot of great at-bats in front of him," Boone said of Judge's grand slam. "Volpe starting it off with a walk, Verdugo with a walk, Gleyber with a base hit, and another walk to Soto setting the table, and that's how you've got to do it. You know, you dig a little hole, you've got the deficit, I guess you've got to grind your way back in and hope you hit the money ball with some runners on, and the Captain sure did."

Aaron Judge turning on the pitch from Cam Booser for the go-ahead grand slam. First of four photos by Jason Schott.

23 of Judge's 52 home runs have either given the Yankees the lead or tied a game - the ratio is 22 are go-ahead and one was a game-tying shot. It was the eighth grand slam of his career, and second of the season, with the first coming at the Mets on June 25.

Luke Weaver came on for the eighth, and he worked around a Yoshida single by striking out the side.

Then, Weaver stayed on for the ninth inning, and he retired Boston in order, as he struck out Tristan Casas looking, the  got Story to pop out to second base, and struck out Ceddane Rafaela to end it to earn his second save of the season.

Boone said of Weaver finishing out the game, "I like Weav' in probably as big a spot as any. That may be in the seventh inning on a given day, you know, the game may be in the balance then, maybe in the eighth. I honestly didn't think I was getting to the finish line with him tonight, frankly. I brought him in in the eighth because we were short in the 'pen tonight. I was staying away still from a couple guys on back-to-backs, and I was just like, we'll figure it out if he's efficient in the eighth, and Raffaela was his last hitter. I was going to Tim Hill next batter, so I was a little uncomfortable as far as he had gone already, as much as he pitched lately, but, you know, he's been outstanding, and I'm obviously comfortable with him in any situation."

ODD MAN OUT?: Since Schmidt and Luis Gil returned to the rotation last week, the question is what will the Yankees do since they now have six starting pitchers?

Nestor Cortes went to the bullpen the first go-round, as much to his chagrin, he closed out Schmidt’s start last Saturday, and since he entered in the fifth, the lefty got the win.

Since Cortes started in the series opener against Boston on Thursday, Boone was asked what he’ll do going forward, and he said this on Friday afternoon, “He’s in the rotation.”

Boone then said it will be a five-man rotation this time through, and said, “Stro’s out,” referring to Marcus Stroman. “This time around, he’ll be available for us out of the bullpen Sunday, then we’ll just keep evaluating moving forward.”

On if Stroman, who has a 10-8 record with a 4.07 ERA, can help in the bullpen, Boone said, “We’ll see. I try to put him in the best position, make sure we communicate well with him, and he and I spoke yesterday about it. Nothing’s necessarily permanent, but with the off day coming, I wanted to have us go five at least this turn around, and maybe the next time through, too. We’ll see.”