NEW YORK – In front of a rocking sold-out crowd of 47,399, the Yankees overcame a five-run deficit for their largest come-from-behind win in postseason franchise history.
The momentum of the American League Division Series is back in New York’s favor. With the Blue Jays leading the series 2-1, the Bronx Bombers completed their grittiest game of the year to get back in the series.
Here are my takeaways:
1. Aaron Judge’s signature postseason moment
Everything was set for Aaron Judge to finally put an end to the building criticism that the Yankees captain cannot come through with a big hit in the playoffs. The Yankees, who once trailed Toronto 6-1 in the third inning, rallied to trim their deficit to three runs in the fifth. They had runners on first and second, with Judge representing the tying run at the plate.
Behind in the count, Blue Jays right-hander Louis Varland threw an 0-2 fastball inside and Judge timed it perfectly. The entire stadium went still as the ball sailed down the left-field line before finally clanging off the foul pole. Judge flipped his bat, pointed to the home dugout, and Yankee Stadium went bananas, MVP chants and all.
Yankees’ Aaron Judge hits a three-run home run to even score against Blue Jays
What a moment the face of the franchise picked to slug his first home run of this year’s postseason. Judge tied the game at 6-6, silenced the critics, and gave the Yankees new life for their still-alive World Series dreams.
2. Vladdy keeps making the Yankees pay
Even if it’s becoming predictable, that doesn’t make it any less noteworthy. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. slugged a home run against the Yankees for the third consecutive game, becoming the first Blue Jays player to homer three straight games in a single postseason. But it gets even more impressive.
Guerrero is so locked in right now that he’s a threat at the plate in any ballpark. But place Guerrero in the Bronx, where he loves to show up and show out, and the damage off his bat is all but a certainty. His first-inning solo shot off Yankees left-hander Carlos Rodon was his 17th career home run at Yankee Stadium. Guerrero ranks first among all opposing hitters at Yankee Stadium in home runs, RBI, extra base hits, OPS, and average.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. shined once again in the Bronx. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
“This is what Vladdy can do when he’s locked in. He’s taking some really good swings, and I think he’s swinging at good pitches too,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider told FOX Sports’ sideline reporter Ken Rosenthal. “It’s one of those places where he’s comfortable, sees the ball well. And I think once you have some success it can carry over.”
3. Yankees’ lack of fundamentals exposed again
It’s the same old story with the Yankees and their inability to execute fundamentals — even in an elimination game.
With New York trailing Toronto 2-1 in the top of the third inning and runners on first and second, Daulton Varsho hit a line drive to left field that Cody Bellinger almost caught. But he couldn’t wrap his glove around it, and Trent Grisham threw the ball in to Jazz Chisholm at second base. Chisholm was caught napping. With his back turned to home plate, Chisholm couldn’t see that Davis Schneider never stopped after he rounded third. By the time Chisholm turned around, realized, and threw the ball home, Schneider was safe at the plate.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. and the Yankees have several defensive lapses against the Blue Jays. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images)
There was no excuse for this. The Yankees knew coming into the ALDS that the Blue Jays lead the major leagues in taking extra bases. Instead of being more aware, we saw yet another mental lapse from a Yankees defender, which sparked a four-run rally in the third inning for Toronto. Though the Bombers wound up coming back from the deficit, opposing teams continue to exploit their inattention to the details. Like in last year’s World Series, it could come back to haunt them.
4. Trouble on the horizon for Jays
The Blue Jays are facing a bullpen game in Game 4 of the ALCS on Wednesday, which is not ideal after their relievers were forced to cover six-plus innings after Shane Bieber’s exit on Tuesday. Bieber recorded just eight outs in his Game 3 start before the Yankees flooded the basepaths and tagged him for a couple more runs in the third inning.
The Yankees, meanwhile, will counter with their rookie prodigy, Cam Schlittler. The 24-year-old right-hander is coming off a start “for the ages,” as Yankees manager Aaron Boone phrased it. Schlittler eliminated the Red Sox from the playoffs last Thursday in the Bronx when he threw eight shutout innings, recorded 12 strikeouts and permitted no walks, sending the Yankees to the ALDS. If the Blue Jays want to stop the series from going back to the Rogers Centre, they’ll have to go through Schlittler first.
Cam Schlittler had an amazing outing against the Red Sox last week and is now primed to face the Blue Jays. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
“I have confidence in myself,” he said ahead of Game 3 on Tuesday. “I have confidence in this team. We’re back home in New York, and we play really good here. We don’t like to get swept at home.”
4 ½. The real Devin Williams is finally here
When the Yankees traded for the former Brewers closer this past offseason, it was with the idea that he would pitch shutdown innings in high-leverage relief appearances for them in October. Even though it was a rocky beginning, filled with vicious booing from Yankees fans in response to his 9.00 ERA in 12 April outings, the closer known for his airbender has finally arrived at the right moment.
Williams has recorded 12.1 consecutive scoreless innings dating back to Sept. 7. He recorded four critical outs in the seventh and eighth inning on Tuesday before giving the ball to closer David Bednar. It took a while for Williams to get here, but he finally appears poised for the moment.
Deesha Thosar is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.
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