Several very interesting storylines surrounded the New York Yankees coming into Thursday’s matchup against the Boston Red Sox, including star outfielder Aaron Judge chasing the MLB record for home runs in a season.
As most matchups between the Red Sox and Yankees typically go, the game was tight throughout, with the teams heading into the ninth inning tied at 4-4.
While Judge has been praised for his offensive capabilities throughout his historic stretch of play, his defense shined in a huge way in the top of the ninth inning.
Red Sox outfielder Tommy Pham laced a line drive over Judge’s head in right field, and Judge made a miraculous throw to gun him down at second base to keep Boston out of scoring position.
What a throw by Aaron Judge! ⚾️🔥🎯 pic.twitter.com/fJzzgKain5
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) September 23, 2022
Yankees reliever Clay Holmes would go on to close out the top of the ninth, giving the Yankees a chance to walk it off in the bottom half of the inning.
That gave Judge an opportunity at the plate to walk it off with home run No. 61. He gave the ball one heck of a ride out to center field, but the ball came up just short of going out.
Aaron Judge going for home run No. 61 in walk-off fashion… hits a 113.0-MPH, 404-foot flyout. ⚾️ pic.twitter.com/y43OEWMOCz
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) September 23, 2022
The fly out surprised everyone including the cameraman and Fox announcer Adam Amin, who thought for sure that the ball was going out in historic fashion.
The Yankees would ultimately go on to win with a clutch walk-off single from veteran third baseman Josh Donaldson.
The Yankees walk it off to clinch a postseason berth! ⚾️ pic.twitter.com/8wRZeRZfQp
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) September 23, 2022
With this victory, the Yankees have clinched a postseason birth for the sixth consecutive season.
Yankees fans would have gone crazy if Aaron Judge were to have hit home run No. 61 in a walk-off victory considering the playoff spot was at stake.
While that didn’t happen, they can now focus on Judge’s chase of the home run record moving forward.
His next milestone will be chasing Roger Maris’s American League record of 61 home runs.
