Wed Sep 25 09:20:22 UTC 2024: ## Judge Homers, But Torres Blunder Costs Yankees in Loss to Orioles

New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge added another home run to his MVP-caliber season, hitting his 56th of the year in a 5-3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night. The solo shot cut the deficit to 2-1 in the fourth inning but the Yankees’ bats were largely silenced by the Orioles’ pitching.

The Yankees’ best scoring opportunity came in the seventh inning with runners on second and third. Juan Soto drove in a run with an RBI single, but the potential tying run, Gleyber Torres, hesitated at third base and was tagged out in a rundown after Baltimore’s catcher threw to second. The blunder ended the inning and ultimately cost the Yankees the game.

“His initial thought was Juan might be out at second so he’s trying to protect him,” said Yankees manager Aaron Boone. “But it’s got to be a bluff or a sellout and go. That’s the tying run right there.”

Torres now leads the MLB in outs at home plate, a stat that drew a defensive response from Boone. “Do you have the context of all the outs at home plate?” Boone asked. “A handful of those are two outs, bang-bang plays.”

Judge’s home run moved him within three homers of Babe Ruth’s 1921 record of 59, placing him fourth on the Yankees’ all-time single-season home run list. He finished the game 1-for-3 with a walk and a fly out to the warning track.

“There are a handful of players out there who are having tremendous seasons. And you kind of put his stuff next to theirs and he kind of dwarfs it,” said Boone. “It’s another level from some of the guys having unbelievable seasons. His ability to control the strike zone has gotten better and better over the years. And then just the power that nobody else has. It’s really impressive.”

Despite his extraordinary regular season, Judge faces pressure to perform in the upcoming playoffs. He set the franchise record with 62 homers in 2022 but struggled in the ALCS against the Astros, resulting in boos from Yankee Stadium fans.

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