Welcome back my friends, to the Soto and Judge show that never seems to end. They can’t do it every night, but when Juan Soto and Aaron Judge have it going in the same game, watch out.
The two Yankee superstars combined to go 4 for 6 with 4 runs scored, 3 home runs and all 8 runs batted in as the Yankees whipped the Cleveland Guardians, 8-1 at Yankee Stadium last night to even their series and snap a three game losing streak.
“Two guys back to back. I think they obviously root for each other,” Manager Aaron Boone said. “I think they really appreciate each other. One right handed, one left handed they are different in how they do it and I think they have an appreciation for one another. I think they like doing what they did tonight, together.”
With the win, the Yankees moved back into sole possession of first place in the AL East as the Orioles were beaten by the Mets in the afternoon.
As was the case on Tuesday night, Soto homered in the top of the first. This time, it was a two run shot off of the Guardians young left handed starter Joey Cantillo, who was making his fourth Major League start.
The 25-year old Soto swung at Cantillo’s first pitch and drove the ball over the center field wall for his 36th home run of the season, a new career high as the Yanks grabbed an early 2-0 lead.
It was Judge’s turn in the third.
With one out, Soto walked and Judge stayed back on a 2-2 curve ball from Cantillo and hit it about five rows deep to the right of the Yankee bullpen in right center field for his 46th of the season and a 4-0 lead. The Yankees improved to 9-2 when Soto and Judge homer in the same game.
In the meantime, Yankee starter Nestor Cortes performed his act and it was much needed after the bullpen was emptied in Tuesday night’s 12-inning loss.
Cortes gave up three hits, did not walk a batter, struck out four and did not give up a run in seven brilliant innings. This was the second strong outing in a row for the left hander who came off seven shutout innings against the Chicago White Sox eight days ago and has now tossed 14 consecutive scoreless innings.
“For me today, we threw out all our pitchers yesterday I know I gotta go deep into games but that’s my job,” Cortes said. “For me to do that today, go seven strong, it was huge for us.”
Cortes faced the minimum 12 batters through the first four innings as he gave up only a hit that was erased with a double play.
The lefty faced his first troublesome inning in the fifth.
After Cortes got the first two outs, the Guardians had two on following back to back singles by Jhonkensy Noel and Andres Gimenez but Cortes ended the threat by getting Tyler Freeman to force Noel at third. The 29-year old finished the game by retiring the final six hitters that he faced, although it took 26 pitches in the seventh.
“He [Cortes] was great again, similar to what we saw in Chicago last time out,” Boone said. “Maybe this was better.”
Left hander Tim Mayza pitched the final two innings and gave up a solo home run to Noel in the eighth for Cleveland’s only run.
Soto broke the game open in the fourth.
With one out, Alex Verdugo and Oswald Peraza drew back to back walks. After Ben Rice struck out, Gleyber Torres, who had two hits, hustled to beat out an infield single to load the bases.
The count went to 3-2 and Cantillo threw a change up that was low and away where Soto just reached out and poked it down the left field to line to clear the bases as the Yankees grabbed a 7-0 lead.
Pedro Avila replaced Cantillo to start the fifth and grazed Judge’s uniform to put him on base. Home plate umpire Lance Barksdale did not rule a hit by pitch, but the Yankees challenged, much to the dismay of Judge and the 41,263 on hand who wanted to see the slugger swing the bat.
They got their wish in Judge’s next at bat in the seventh against Avila when he took advantage of the short right field porch at the Stadium as he homered for his second of the game and 47th of the season. It the 38th multi-home run of Judge’s career, who is now hitting .334 and is putting together one of the great all around offensive seasons in recent memory.
“I think he [Judge] just kind of keeps getting a little bit better all the time and that’s what greatness is, is you’re never kind of satisfied with who you are,” said Boone.
The past nine games, the dynamic duo has strutted their stuff.
Over that span, Soto has 8 home runs and 13 runs batted in while Judge is hitting .371 with 6 home runs and 12 RBIs.
The two have formed a mutual admiration society and they enjoy watching each other perform.
“It doesn’t matter if the game is ten runs up or ten runs down, he’s [Judge] gonna take a great at bat and try do to damage to the other team so I think that’s one of the things I admire most and I try to do the same thing,” Soto said.
“We’re just constantly pushing each other,” Judge said. “Just trying to be great. He’s [Soto] one of the best hitters out there right now. It’s fun to have a front row seat watching greatness.”
The list of great Yankee duos began with Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. It continued with Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris in the 60s and now you can add Soto and Judge to that list.