Field Level Media
Jul 21, 2018
Aaron Judge collected three hits, including his 26th homer, as the New York Yankees survived a shaky ninth inning by Aroldis Chapman and held on for a 7-6 victory over the New York Mets on Saturday afternoon at Yankee Stadium.
Judge highlighted his second three-hit game in two days by hitting a homer into the wind in the seventh off Tim Peterson. Judge gave the Yankees a 6-3 lead by lifting Peterson's 1-1 fastball 407 feet into the visiting bullpen beyond the left-center field fence.
Didi Gregorius hit an RBI triple and rookie Miguel Andujar hit an RBI double for the Yankees in a four-run fourth. Greg Bird drove in two runs with an RBI double and a run-scoring single while Austin Romine contributed an RBI single along with a run-scoring groundout.
Yankees right-hander Sonny Gray (7-7) allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits in 5 1/3 innings. Chapman allowed a bases-loaded walk to Jose Reyes in the ninth and hit Brandon Nimmo with a pitch before being replaced by Chasen Shreve.
Shreve got Devin Mesoraco to bounce into a double play that scored a run and ended the game by retiring Wilmer Flores. It was Shreve's second career save.
Mets closer Jeurys Familia was held out for the second straight game, and his trade to the Oakland Athletics was announced after the contest. He was traded for two minor leaguers -- infielder William Toffey and right-hander Bobby Wahl -- plus $1 million in international bonus pool money.
Michael Conforto homered for the Mets, who played the game shorthanded and saw two ejections.
Yoenis Cespedes did not play after homering in his return from missing over two months with a hip injury. He said after the game that heel issues are the cause of his numerous leg problems and was held out.
Mets hitting coach Pat Roessler was ejected by plate umpire Larry Vanover for arguing balls and strikes with two outs in the top of the third. Mets designated hitter Asdrubal Cabrera was tossed by third base umpire Hunter Wendelstedt for slamming his bat on a checked swing strikeout in the fifth.
Amed Rosario delivered an RBI single and Jose Bautista scored on a throwing error by David Robertson before the eventful ninth.
Mets left-hander Steven Matz (4-8) allowed five runs on nine hits in five-plus innings.
After Conforto's second-inning homer gave the Mets a 1-0 lead, the Yankees took advantage of some defensive adventures by Mets center fielder Matt den Dekker.
Gregorius tied the game by tripling to the center field wall when den Dekker could not make a diving catch after getting a bad read on the liner. The Yankees took a 2-1 lead when Andujar was awarded a double after a fan reached over with his glove in right field.
The Yankees took a 3-1 lead when Bird's double soared over den Dekker's head and went up 4-1 when den Dekker was unable to get Romine's sinking liner.
--Field Level Media