The Sports Xchange
Jun 13, 2017
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- It used to be that when the fans at Angel Stadium chanted "MVP! MVP!" it was for their own Mike Trout.
However, with the Los Angeles Angels center fielder and defending American League MVP relegated to the bench as he recovers from thumb surgery, the locals apparently have found a new favorite.
New York right fielder Aaron Judge heard the MVP chants from the heavy Yankees-fan contingent on Monday night, particularly after his two-run home run in the eighth inning snapped a tie and lifted the Yankees to a 5-3 win over the Angels.
The home run off reliever Bud Norris was Judge's major-league-leading 22nd of the season, but it didn't have to happen. The Yankees had Aaron Hicks on second base after a double with one out. But instead of walking Judge intentionally and taking their chances with Matt Holliday, the Angels pitched to Judge.
Norris fell behind in the count 2-0 before grooving a 91 mph fastball over the middle of the plate, and Judge hammered it at least 10 rows into the seats in right-center field.
While Judge is hitting tape-measure home runs and getting late-night talk show appearances, Didi Gregorius is putting together a nice little season of his own.
The Yankees shortstop extended his career-best hitting streak to 14 games with four hits. He drove in the Yankees' first two runs with two-out singles in the third and fifth innings. And when he came to bat with a runner in scoring position and two outs in the seventh, the Angels walked him intentionally.
The move backfired as Chase Headley followed with an RBI single to put New York up 3-1.
The Yankees got a welcomed performance from starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka, who entered the game 0-5 with a 10.72 ERA in his last five starts. Yankees manager Joe Girardi was concerned enough to push Tanaka back a day in the rotation to give him an extra day of rest.
Tanaka responded with six strong innings before the Angels knocked him out of the game in the seventh. Tanaka, who got a no-decision, gave up three runs (one earned) and four hits in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out eight and walked two.
He took a 3-1 lead into the seventh, but an error by the third baseman Headley prevented Tanaka from a 1-2-3 inning. Instead, the inning was extended, and Danny Espinosa's two-out, RBI single knocked Tanaka out of the game. Cameron Maybin followed with an RBI double off Tyler Clippard to tie the game at 3-3, the run charged to Tanaka.
Clippard (1-3) got the victory over Jose Alvarez (0-3). Dellin Betances got the final four outs for his sixth save.
Angels starter Alex Meyer gave up two runs and five hits but lasted only 4 2/3 innings, his outing abbreviated because of five walks and a high pitch count (93).
Kole Calhoun homered for the Angels.
The Angels took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when Calhoun jumped on the first pitch he saw from Tanaka -- a 91 mph fastball -- and launched it over the fence in center for his 10th homer of the season.
The Yankees got even in the third inning after Meyer had retired the first two batters of the inning before he walked Holliday and Starlin Castro. On the 3-2 pitch to Castro, Meyer thought he had strike three, but plate umpire Tony Randazzo disagreed.
Meyer was obviously upset, prompting a quick trip to the mound by Angels pitching coach Charles Nagy. Gregorius, however, singled to left field to score Holliday from second and tie the game at 1-1.
The Yankees took the lead in the fifth inning, and knocked Meyer out of the game in the process. With Judge (who walked) on first base and two outs, Castro and Gregorius each singled, Gregorius' hit driving home Judge for a 2-1 Yankees lead.
NOTES: Yankees RF Aaron Judge was named the American League Player of the Week for the week ending June 11. Judge hit .500 (12 for 24) with three homers, six RBIs, three doubles and 10 runs scored in six games. ... The Yankees selected RHP Clarke Schmidt in the first round pick of Monday's draft, the 16th player picked overall. Schmidt, 21, was 4-2 with a 1.34 ERA while holding opponents to a .194 average at the University of South Carolina before undergoing Tommy John surgery in April. ... The Angels selected OF Jordon "Jo" Adell in the first round of the draft, the 10th player picked overall. Adell, 18, hit .562 with 25 homers, 61 RBIs, 22 stolen bases and 53 runs in his senior season at Ballard High School in Louisville, Ky. ... Yankees RHP Ben Heller was called up from Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre, and RHP Domingo German was optioned to the minors.