Aaron Judge Leads Yankees Over Twins, 8-4, In Wild Card Game

Players of the Day for Tuesday, October 3, 2017

American League

As expected, the New York Yankees took the single-elimination wild card game over the Minnesota Twins, 8-4, but the manner in which they did so was hardly predictable.

Judge: HR, 3 R, 2 RBI

Yankee starter, Luis Severino, who went 14-6 during the regular season, lasted just 1/3 of an inning, giving up three runs to the Twins in the top of the first before Chad Green came in to stop the bleeding.

Severino gave up a leadoff homer to Bring Dozier and a two-run belt from Eddie Rosario for three Minnesota runs and was pulled after a single by Eduardo Escobar and a Max Kepler double put runners on second and third. Green fanned the next two batters to end the threat.

In the bottom of the first, the Yankees roared right back. Aaron Judge singled to put Brett Gardner on third after he had walked, and Didi Gregorius socked a three-run homer to tie the game.

While Yankee relievers held the Twins to just one more run for the duration of the game, the Yankees put up single runs in the second and third, two in the fifth, and another run in the seventh.

Judge, who is certain to be the AL Rookie of the Year and quite possibly the league MVP, rocked Jose Berrios with a two-run homer in the fourth, putting the Yankees ahead, 7-4, at the time. He also walked to lead off the seventh inning and scored when Aaron Hicks drew a bases-loaded walk, completing the scoring. Judge finished 2-for-4 with three runs and two RBI.

The Yankees leave their home in the Bronx and head to Cleveland, getting a couple of days off in the meantime. They open the ALDS against the Indians on Thursday, October 5. Game time is 7:30 pm ET.

National League

There were no games in the National League on Tuesday. Wednesday night, Arizona hosts Colorado in the wild card game, scheduled to begin at 8:00 pm ET.