The New York Yankees fall short of securing the AL East championship, yet Aaron Judge continues to break records.
After falling behind 3-0 in the initial frame, the Orioles appeared to be in a tight spot, yet they remained unfazed. In the bottom of the ninth, the Yankees started their comeback, with Juan Soto bringing home Anthony Rizzo to decrease Baltimore's lead to 9-4. Judge capitalized on this momentum with a three-run homer, his MLB-leading 57th of the season, bringing the score to 9-7.
In an effort to secure the victory, the Orioles replaced Matt Bowman with Keegan Akin. The tactic proved successful as they managed to close out the game against their division rivals.
Despite the loss, Judge's impressive streak continued as he homered in his fourth consecutive game. His RBIs total climbed to 142, making him the first player to record over 140 RBIs in a season since 2009, when both Prince Fielder and Ryan Howard achieved this feat. According to MLB statistics, the previous longest breaking period between 140+ RBI seasons was five years, dating back to when RBIs became an official statistic in 1920.
Following their close brush with a significant deficit, Judge commended the team's collective spirit in a post-game interview, stating, "The team never gives up until the final out," as reported by AP. He emphasized that they never feel defeated, no matter the score.
The game started disastrously for the Yankees with Marcus Stroman conceding six consecutive singles to the Orioles, marking the first time since at least 1969 that the Orioles accomplished this feat.
In response, Anthony Volpe hit an RBI single to reduce the score to 3-1 in the second inning. However, the Yankees faced difficulties in the fourth inning, allowing Baltimore to re-establish their lead as Gunnar Henderson and James McCann contributed to additional runs.
Clayton Beeter's performance was no better, as he surrendered RBI doubles to Anthony Santander and Colton Cowser in the fourth and an RBI single to James McCann in the fifth, extending Baltimore's lead to 8-1.
Juan Soto retaliated with a two-run home run, his 41st of the season, bringing the score to 8-3 in the fifth. A Jordan Westburg RBI single in the top of the eighth provided the Orioles with enough breathing space to seal the game.
Having already secured their seventh playoff berth in eight seasons, the Yankees require at least one win from their remaining four games to seize the division title.
Aaron Boone, the Yankees' manager, acknowledged the tough season they've had, stating, "Nothing's been straightforward for us this year. We shouldn't expect it to be now, but we've persevered and managed to push through," as reported by AP. He reaffirmed their readiness for the upcoming games.
After an intense game, the Yankees and Orioles both showed their love for the sport, displaying resilience and determination throughout. Judge's home run in the ninth, despite the loss, showed his dedication to performing well in every sporting event.
