Judge HR & Schmidt Pitching Propel Yanks to Doubleheader Sweep. NY 5 Toronto 1

April 28, 2025 paperbacklou 2025 0
Aaron Judge with his 8th homer of the year -- a solo shot in the 6th that was the game winner.

Aaron Judge broke a 1-1 tie with his 8th homer of the season in the bottom of the 6th to get to — and open the floodgates on — a very tough Chris Bassitt. It ended up being the game-winner in a 5-1 Yankee victory in the 2nd game of a doubleheader sweep over the Blue Jays, 5-1 on a late Sunday afternoon in the Bronx.

Tim Hill got the win in relief of Clarke Schmidt, who pitched 5 innings of 1-hit baseball — Schmidt’s only mistake was a 92-MPH sinker that stayed up to Anthony Santander in the 3rd, which he deposited in the right-field seats for a 1-1 tie at the time. Schmidt did work around 4 walks but struck out 6.

In a new Yankee bullpen alignment, Mark Leiter Jr. followed Hill and pitched a shutout 7th; Fernando Cruz pitched a shutout 8th; and Luke Weaver resumed the role as Yankee Ace Reliever — replacing Devin Williams — and pitched a shutout 9th.

Trent Grisham led off the game for the Yanks with a HR in the bottom of the 1st; Jasson Dominguez got a big RBI double after Judge’s HR in the 6th, and J.C. Escarra drove in Dominguez with an RBI single in that 6th. Escarra also hit his first MLB homer in the 8th.

All in all a nifty day for the Yanks — as they won the first game 11-2, and made especially great for all Yankee/Knick fans as the Knicks won the 5th game of their playoff series against Detroit to take a 3-1 game lead as the Yankee 1st game was in progress.

“His stuff was really good,” said manager Aaron Boone about Schmidt. “I think too many 3-ball and walks, which we know he wants to clean up, but the stuff is really good. I thought a little more life to it too — the cutter and the sinker. And he got into a good groove spinning the ball too — got some bad swings on the sweeper; 5 good innings to put us in a position to win a game.”

The Yanks improve to 17-11, and are 2 games in 1st in the AL East, over Boston. Toronto falls to 13-15.

1. Schmidt Great

Clarke Schmidt walked 4 but was never in trouble with those walks as he scattered them. The most walks he allowed in one inning was the 1st, when he walked Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Anthony Santander with 1 out — but then struck out George Springer and Andres Gimenez swinging.

He walked a batter with 2 outs in the 2nd, before getting the final out, then struck out Bo Bichette and Vlad Guerrero Jr to start the 3rd before Santander hit a 92-MPH sinker that didn’t sink for a 400-foot homer to right and 1-1 tie.

Schmidt allowed a 1-out walk in the 4th — but again, easy inning — and then pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 5th — strikeout swinging, strikeout looking, groundout — for a very impressive outing.

2. Yanks Jump on Bassitt Early, but He Survives & Motors

Meanwhile Trent Grisham Jr. led off the game for the Yanks with a 400-foot homer to right center off Chris Bassitt.

The Yanks continued to hit Bassitt in the bottom of the 2nd — the now red-hot Anthony Volpe (who homered in the 1st game) led off with a single, and the equally hot Jasson Dominguez following him with s single.

But Bassitt got tough — getting a pop out and line out — before walking Grisham to load the bases with 2 outs. Bassitt then got Ben Rice to hit the first pitch to right for an easy fly out.

Bassitt then motored — pitching a 1-2-3 inning in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th.

3. Judge HR in 6th Undoes Bassitt

Until the 6th, when Aaron Judge led off the inning with a first-pitch, 376-foot homer to right center and a 2-1 Yankee lead.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. followed with a 1-out single, and Jasson Dominguez got a clutch, 2-out double to left for a 3-1 Yankee lead.

That sent Bassitt to the showers, and J.C. Escarra ripped an RBI single off reliever Bryan Little for a 4-1 Yankee lead.

4. Escarra’s First MLB HR in 8th

J.C. Escarra added insurance with his 1st MLB homer in the bottom of the 8th — a 415-foot drive to right off old friend Chad Green.

5. Yank New Bullpen Lineup Superb

Tim Hill pitched a shutout top of 6th and ended up getting the win.

Mark Leiter Jr. pitched a shutout 7th, striking out the side 1-2-3.

Fernando Cruz pitched a shutout 8th, striking out 2.

And that left the 9th for new (again) Ace Reliever Luke Weaver, who entered with Star Wars music, and pitched a 1-2-3 inning (fly out, strike out, fly out) for the old ballgame.

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401769356

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