Before moving on to what happened in Game 2 of the series between the Bronx Bombers and the Red Sox, let’s remember the first game this week. The Boston team won and exposed a major weakness of New York, specifically, Aaron Judge.
It is important to remember that Judge missed 10 games during a stint on the injured list that began in late July due to a strain in his right elbow flexor. The 2024 American League Most Valuable Player returned to the lineup on Aug. 5, but as a designated hitter and was still in the middle of what was ultimately a six-week throwing rehab program.
Nick Sogard’s hit ‘stripped’ Aaron Judge’s arm
The seventh inning of Tuesday’s game between the Yankees and Red Sox will be largely remembered for two things: Yankees manager Aaron Boone’s decision to pull ace Max Fried from the game, which drew criticism, and reliever Luke Weaver’s implosion. But something else happened in that seventh inning, which went a little unnoticed
With one out in the inning, Weaver walked outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela, bringing second baseman Nick Sogard to the plate. Sogard hit a 1-1 pitch to right-center field, then decided to make a critical decision. “It took me a while to field it and it was Judge who fielded it, and I tried to challenge the arm in that place,” Sogard told MLB.com’s Ian Browne.
In a smart but risky baserunning move, Sogard pushed toward second base and beat Judge’s throw, putting the go-ahead run in scoring position. His decision was noticed one batter later, when pinch-hitter Masataka Yoshida lined to center, scoring both Rafaela and Sogard.
Yankees force Game 3 against Red Sox
Facing elimination, the Yankees refused to let their season end quietly, coming out swinging from the first pitch to defeat the Red Sox and keep their October dream alive. Austin Wells singled in the eighth inning to drive in Jazz Chisholm Jr. with the go-ahead run
That’s how New York beat Boston with a 4-3 victory in Game 2 of the Wild Card Series on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium, forcing a decisive showdown between the historic rivals on Thursday night. Wells hit a 3-2 changeup from Garrett Whitlock, sending the seventh pitch of his at-bat just to the right-field line in fair territory
Chisholm had sprinted from first base with the pitch and flew around the bases at breakneck speed, losing his helmet near third and beating the throw to Venezuelan catcher Carlos Narvaez with a head-first slide. Rookie right-hander Cam Schlittler will start the decisive Game 3 on Thursday night.
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