Aaron Judge just misses home run No. 61, Yankees clinch playoff spot with walk-off win
NEW YORK – Aaron Judge nearly sent Yankee Stadium into delirium in the ninth, with a 404-foot drive that was caught at the center field warning track.
But in Thursday night’s 10th inning, Josh Donaldson delivered a game-winning RBI single off Boston Red Sox reliever Kaleb Ort, sending the New York Yankees to a 5-4 victory and officially putting them into the playoffs.
Defensively, Judge gets an assist for the Yankees’ 91st win, nailing Tommy Pham with a bullet throw at second base after the Red Sox leadoff hitter attempted to stretch a single off the right field wall in the ninth.
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Jameson Taillon had a terrific start for the Yankees, going six scoreless innings and striking out eight Red Sox.
In his second game bidding for No. 61, Judge went 0-for-2 with three walks, which drew the ire of 43,123 fans.
Donaldson went 3-for-5, driving home Marwin Gonzalez in the 10th to lift the Bronx Bombers into the playoffs.