Angels can’t hold back Aaron Judge and Juan Soto in loss to Yankees
Aaron Judge hit his 275th home run, Juan Soto broke things open with a bases-clearing triple in the seventh inning and the New York Yankees beat the Angels 8-3 on Thursday night.
Judge joined Lou Gehrig as the only Yankees players to have at least 12 home runs and 12 doubles in a calendar month when he hit a two-run shot off Patrick Sandoval (2-8) in the fourth inning. Gehrig accomplished the feat in July 1930.
It also was Judge’s 18th long ball of the season, which is tied with Baltimore’s Gunnar Henderson and Houston’s Kyle Tucker for the MLB lead.
“Just a special player doing special things,” manager Aaron Boone said. “I thought we needed a shot of energy. Judge’s homer got them going. Put together another big inning (in the seventh) and then Carlos (Rodón) giving us another strong start was big.”
Luis Gil struck out nine and won his sixth straight start, continuing a record run by Yankees starters, as Angels fall to New York 2-1.
Despite the win, the Yankees had a pair of streaks snapped.
Anthony Volpe went 0 for four, ending his hitting streak at 21 games. He matched Arizona’s Ketel Marte for the longest in the majors this season.
Rodón (7-2) gave up three runs in six-plus innings, ending the starting staff’s MLB-record run of 16 games going at least five innings and allowing two runs or fewer.
“Volpe, what a run it has been for him, too. To get over 20 games, especially now, is pretty impressive,” Boone said. “As far as the pitchers, sign me up for six-plus innings and three runs Carlos got us. Another strong outing for one of our starters.”
Logan O’Hoppe hit his fourth home run in eight games, but the Angels’ home woes continued. They dropped five of six during their homestand and are 7-21 at Angel Stadium this season.
After Soto led off the inning with a walk, Judge put the Yankees on top when he connected on a sweeper by Sandoval and drove it 433 feet into the stands in left-center. The homer also tied Judge with Jorge Posada for eighth in franchise history.
“We were a little slow, a little flat, really couldn’t get anything rolling,” Judge said. “Hitting that homer to give us a lead, especially Carlos, with the way he was dealing ... The (four) strikeouts (Judge had) will stick with me, but I’m happy with the win.”
Sandoval struck out seven in six innings and allowed two runs and two hits. The homer to Judge, though, loomed large.
“One mistake pitch that he got to, probably shouldn’t have thrown it,” Sandoval said. “Logan wanted changeup and I should’ve thrown it. I didn’t have a lot of confidence or feel for it early. I had confidence in the sweeper, got him on it last time and just left it over when he hit it.”
O’Hoppe’s solo shot in the second was the only hit Rodón allowed in six innings. The left-hander hit the wall in the seventh, when the first three runners reached base. He was lifted after Kevin Pillar’s RBI double.
The Angels had the bases loaded with two outs in the seventh when Cole Tucker’s base hit to left drove in Pillar to end the starters’ streak.
MLB has integrated its official statistics with those from the Negro Leagues, meaning Josh Gibson eclipses Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb at the top of key categories.
Rodón, who has won his last five starts, allowed only three hits, walked one and struck out five.
The Yankees had a 2-1 lead after six innings before breaking it open. Adam Cimber, who came in for Sandoval, allowed five of the six hitters he faced to reach base, including four via walk.
Cimber walked Oswaldo Cabrera and Volpe with the bases loaded to make it 4-1. José Suarez came in and was greeted with Soto’s three-run triple into the right-field corner.
Injury update: Angels third baseman Miguel Sanó (left knee inflammation) has had his rehab stint delayed after he accidentally burned himself with a heating pad Sunday while trying to treat the knee.
Up next for Angels: A three-game road trip in Seattle. Right-hander José Soriano (2-5, 3.61 ERA) takes the mound Friday.
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