BOSTON – Given a second and a third chance to burn the Boston Red Sox, Aaron Judge slashed a go-ahead, two-run double in Sunday’s stunning eighth inning.
A moment later, Giancarlo Stanton took the air out of Fenway Park once more with a monstrous home run, capping a sensational weekend for the Yankees and a shocking 72 hours for their old rivals.
The Yankees arrived here Friday two games behind Boston and exited Sunday night as the AL wild card leaders, following a dramatic 6-3 victory to finish a memorable three-game sweep.
Following an off day on Monday, the Yankees (89-67) begin a three-game series at Toronto against the Blue Jays, who trail Boston (88-68) by one game for the second wild card spot.
With six games left in the regular season, the Yanks have suddenly put themselves in position to host the win-or-else wild card game Oct. 5.
But what a way to get there.
Stunning comeback
Boston scored twice in the seventh, taking a 3-2 into the eighth inning, thanks to a game-tying wild pitch by Joely Rodriguez and two dropped pop ups by the Yankees in one at-bat.
After making a series of terrific plays at third base Sunday night, DJ LeMahieu dropped pinch-hitter Kyle Schwarber’s foul pop, which would have ended the seventh inning.
Next, Schwarber lifted a fly ball to left fielder Joey Gallo, who circled around it and watched it clang off his glove, allowing Alex Verdugo to score the go-ahead run from second base.
And then it was Boston’s turn to drop things.
Anthony Rizzo’s double put runners at second and third with one out in the eighth, sending Judge up against old friend Adam Ottavino.
First, first baseman Bobby Dalbec failed to grab Judge’s catchable foul pop toward the railing, though it would have been an excellent play had he come up with it.
It was ruled a no-play.
One more chance
Next, a potential third strike foul tip was dropped by catcher Christian Vazquez, giving Judge one more chance.
Judge used that lifeline to rip a 1-2 pitch to center for his two-run double, giving the Yanks a 4-3 lead.
And then Stanton walloped a two-run shot over the Green Monster, tossing his bat about 25 feet in the direction of the Yankees’ on-deck circle as the visiting dugout erupted.
On Saturday, Stanton’s eighth-inning grand slam turned a one-run deficit into a 5-3 Yankees victory.
On Friday, Stanton’s three-run homer hushed the Fenway crowd during an 8-3 Yankees win.
Once more, Jordan Montgomery had a solid start, yielding one run in five innings, but received just two runs of support, coming in the fifth on an Eduardo Rodriguez wild pitch and a LeMahieu RBI single.
On DJ LeMahieu's condition
Before the game, Yankees manager Aaron Boone gave a plain take on LeMahieu’s groin/hip situation.
“I think it’s just something he’ll kind of have to deal with the rest of the season,’’ Boone said. “And hopefully we’ll manage it well.’’
LeMahieu underwent a recent MRI exam, the results of which were not clearly stated.
Basically, LeMahieu is good enough to play if he can tolerate the discomfort, though he did not reveal much about his condition.
“I’m confident he’s about as tough as they come and he can play through things,’’ said Boone, offering that LeMahieu has played through physical difficulties before without seeing a drop off in performance.
“Not exactly sure yet,’’ LeMahieu said as to the specifics of his condition, adding only that he’s been “dealing with it for a while.’’
But if something more than rest is required, LeMahieu is determined to wait until winter.
“I just kind of told them let’s worry about it after the season,’’ LeMahieu said without elaborating.
Luke Voit stays on bench
Presented with a chance to start Luke Voit against a lefty starter in Rodriguez, Boone chose to keep the lefty-hitting Anthony Rizzo at first base.
“A tough call for me,’’ Boone said of keeping Voit on the bench despite the “case for him being in there’’ Sunday night.
“(It’s) probably the biggest thing I slept on and though on most of the day,’’ though Boone ultimately decided to start the defensively superior Rizzo at first base over Voit.
Physically, Voit is “OK,’’ said Boone, who did not use Voit off the bench in either of the first two games this weekend at Fenway.
Entering Sunday, Voit had not played since going 0-for-3 with a strikeout and a double play grounder as the starting first baseman in Wednesday’s 7-3 win against Texas.
Giancarlo Stanton served as designated hitter for all three games of this Boston series, while Brett Gardner started all three games in center field.
