BALTIMORE (AP) The new wall in left field at Camden Yards served its purpose, denying Aaron Judge a home run on his 399-foot drive in the first inning.
“I learned my lesson and decided to go in the right field after that,” he said.
Ballpark couldn’t hold off Judge’s next two hits, a pair of solo homers that helped the New York Yankees to a 5-4 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night. Judge and reliever Michael King was the biggest star in the win, New York’s 20th in its last 23 games.
The judge came within feet of a three-homer game. His bid on the first high shot of the wall – which was moved back and widened before this season. He settled for an RBI double, then went deep in the third and fifth to bring his major league-leading homer total to 14.
Judge added a single in the eighth for his third four-hit game and first since 2019.
Ramon Urias homered for the Orioles, who tied a season high with their fifth straight loss. Trailing 5-3, Baltimore made a run against Aroldis Chapman in the ninth on a two-out brace from Ryan McKenna. With men in second and third, Chapman retired Cedric Mullins on a rude pop for his ninth save in nine opportunities.
Jameson Taillon (4-1) allowed three runs in over five innings. King came on after a first double in the sixth and retired all nine batters with six strikeouts before giving way to Chapman.
After Urias tied the game at 1 with a home run in the second, Judge started hitting parts of the stadium that are unchanged this year. His home run to the center right made it 2-1 in the third. After a pair of Baltimore runs in the fourth, Judge tied the game with a shot to the center.
In the sixth, DJ LeMahieu came in with the bases loaded and one out against Dillon Tate (0-2) and gave the Yankees the lead with a groundball. Baltimore then threw to the umpire with first base open, and he retired.
An error by Urias at shortstop with two outs in the seventh gave New York an unearned run that made it 5-3.
NOISES
According to Statcast, the judge’s two homers went 410 and 422 feet, after his double was just under 400. The judge’s reaction to the new dimensions at Camden Yards was about what you’d expect from a right-handed puncher .
“He’s a transvestite. I’m pretty upset,” Judge said. “It now looks like a creation park. I didn’t like it because I always like to come here and play here. Hopefully in a few years they can put it back together.
King induced 10 swings and misses, tying all of Baltimore’s pitchers combined.
“He’s been one of the best relievers in the league, especially considering how many innings we’ve been able to get out of him,” manager Aaron Boone said. “Really has an impact on the sleeves.”
MOVES
Prior to the game, the Orioles designated LHP Logan Allen for assignment and opted for INF Rylan Bannon at Triple-A Norfolk. They selected contract LHP Nick Vespi and recalled RHP Logan Gillaspie from Norfolk.
Gillaspie pitched the final two innings, keeping the Yankees off the scoreboard on his big league debut.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Orioles: OF Austin Hays (hand) returned after missing four games. He misplayed Judge’s drive in the first, allowing him to bounce past him off the wall, but made up for that by throwing Judge in the third when the slugger attempted a triple.
NEXT
The Yankees send Gerrit Cole (3-0) to the mound Wednesday night against Jordan Lyles (2-3) of the Orioles. Cole has a 1.42 ERA in his last four starts.
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