Yankees.com: What a way to end HR drought! Judge slam keys comeback win

From Bryan Hoch:

Aaron Judge claimed he didn’t know about his career-long homer drought, which had sparked conversation in the grandstands and social media. With a sly grin, the Yankees’ captain said he hadn’t even realized 16 games had passed since his last time clearing the fences. His teammates knew better.

“Judge is very aware of stuff like that. It’s hard to ignore it,” said Yankees pitcher Clarke Schmidt. “It feels like if he has two games in a row where he doesn’t get a homer, something’s going on.”

Judge reclaimed his stroke at a perfect time, launching a go-ahead grand slam in the seventh inning off left-hander Cam Booser for his Major League-leading 52nd homer. The blast powered the Yankees to a 5-4 victory over the Red Sox on Friday evening at Yankee Stadium.

“I really don’t focus on hitting homers,” Judge said. “I don’t focus on any of that. Sixteen games, is that a lot or not? I don’t know. It’ll probably be longer at some point in my career.”

Schmidt wasn’t buying the performance: “Ahh, I don’t know about that. You guys can decide for yourself.”

While I know I should have made Aaron Judge the featured image, I couldn’t help but go with the sight of the rest of the team celebrating. They went fucking BERSERK. It was hilarious. Waldo, like, practically picked up and THREW the Martian, he was so excited. It was so hilarious.

The crowd at Yankee Stadium, by the way, was louder than I’ve seen it in YEARS. What a fucking moment.

I love the interplay above between Schmidt and Judge. Judge really does like to try to be as boring as possible, doesn’t he?

Anyhow, great win. Clarke Schmidt was very good, Mark Leiter cleverly knew that he could allow up to two runs and still get the win (seriously, though, what the fuck is up with Mark Leiter pitching like absolute garbage? We’re getting to the point where Tim Mayza is the better option to bring into games over Leiter, and Mayza sometimes just throws batting practice fastballs out there…but sometimes he doesn’t, while Leiter now gets crushed every time he goes out there), and Luke Weaver was DOMINANT in a performance that certainly had to solidify him as the Yankee playoff closer, right? It’s nice to have a closer who can actually strike people out (five Ks in two innings!).

The bad side of the game was, of course, the terrible offense in seven of their eight innings, as former Yankee prospect, Richard Fitts, pitched like shit while SHUTTING OUT the Yankees through five innings. One of the only good Red Sox relievers got the sixth, and he retired the Yankees (but gave up two hits in the process), and then Cora, who had been using his bullpen a LOT as the Red Sox had had back-to-back extra innings games lately (just like the Yankees) had to go to one of his shittier relievers, and the Yankees finally woke the fuck up.

What a win, and with the Orioles nearly no-hit against the red-hot Tigers, the Yankees now have a three-game lead in the AL East, which is shocking as fuck.