Schmidt Stellar. Grisham 3 Great Plays in Center. Judge HR. NY 6 KC 3

June 12, 2025 paperbacklou 2025 0

The Yankee offense exploded for 5 runs in the 2nd inning on a triple, double, singles and walks, and Clarke Schmidt made that stand up with 6 innings of 2-hit shutout ball, striking out 7 as NY beat the Royals 6-3 on a Wednesday night in Kansas City.

Aaron Judge tacked on a run in the 7th with his 25th homer of the year to make it 6-0 — and that ended up being an important insurance run as Mark Leiter Jr. had trouble getting people out in the 9th — allowing 3 runs. Devin Williams came in and got the final 2 outs with the tying run on deck.

Trent Grisham made a couple of spectacular diving catches in centerfield and threw a runner out at 2nd to help Schmidt and the bullpen out.

The game was a mirror in some ways to the first time Clarke Schmidt and KC starter Kris Bubic met earlier this season, on April 15th in the Bronx — when Judge hit a solo HR in the 7th to give NY a 4-3 lead, and Cody Bellinger made a spectacular catch in the 9th to make that the final score.

“I’m going to go shopping for a bottle of wine tomorrow,” said Clarke Schmidt afterwards about Grisham. “I owe him big time. He’s got 2 Gold Gloves for a reason.”

Manager Aaron Boone said Schmidt’s pitch mix was the best he’s had all season, and Schmidt agreed: “Yea I think that was the name of the game for me. Obviously executed all night; and we had a really good game plan. I think we mixed it up well; we mixed up location; staying on the attack. I was really, really happy with the mix.”

NY improves to 41-25, in 1st in the AL East by 4 games over Toronto. KC falls to 34-34.

1. Yanks Get 5 on Bubic in 2nd

The last time the Yanks faced Kris Bubic, back on April 15th — they managed 3 runs and 7 hits off him in just over 5 innings.

Bubic is the 6’3 lefty reliever turned into elite starter — considered one of the best lefties in the American League — who came into the game with a 5-3 1.43 record. Bubic started his career as a starter, and after relieving for KC last year, is back to being a starter this year.

Bubic pitched a 1-2-3 shutout 1st, but NY pounced in the 2nd — a leadoff triple by Cody Bellinger, walk by Jazz Chisholm Jr. and groundout by Anthony Volpe scoring a run. NY 1 KC 0.

Trent Grisham grounded out and DJ LeMahieu walked, putting runners on 1st and 2nd with 1 out. And just like the game before, Austin Wells got a key hit — ripping a double to center for a 2-0 Yankee lead.

Paul Goldschmidt then singled to right for 2 more runs — NY 4 KC 0.

And Ben Rice topped off the rally with a single to left for a 5-0 Yankee lead.

2. Schmidt Stellar, with Some Help from Grisham

Meanwhile Clarke Schmidt was stellar again. He got some help from his Gold Glove centerfielder Trent Grisham. Schmidt:

  • Allowed a leadoff walk to Jonathan India in the 1st, then retired the next 2 in a row;
  • Pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 2nd, helped by a tremendous catch by Grisham;

  • Pitched around a 2-out single to Jonathan India in the 3rd;
  • Allowed a leadoff single to Maikel Garcia in the 4th — who was gunned down by Trent Grisham trying to stretch it into a double.

  • Schmidt then walked Vinnie Pasquantino right after Garcia was gunned down (big mistake for KC) but retired the next 2 batters;
  • Allowed 2-out walk to Kyle Isbel in the 5th but got the final out; and
  • Pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 6th.

In between all that Schmidt was striking out 7 and in total command with the 5-0 lead.

Schmidt’s line: 6 IP, 2 hits, 0 runs, 7 K’s, 3 walks. He wins to go 3-3 3.60.

3. Judge HR #25 Makes It 6-0 in 7th

Bubic ended up going 4.1 innings, allowing 6 hits and 5 runs. He loses to go 5-4 1.92.

Aaron Judge made it 6-0 in the top of the 7th with a 413-foot homer to center off a 99-MPH fastball from 6’7 righthander Steven Cruz.

4. Headrick & Cruz Hold ‘Em — Again with Help from Grisham

Brent Headrick — the 27-year-old, 6’6 lefty who has become a mainstay of the Yankee relief corps recently — came in and threw a shutout 7th, pitching around a 1-out single.

Headrick got the first out of the 8th, before allowing a double to Jonathan India — after which he was relieved by Fernando Cruz.

Bobby Witt Jr. hit a line drive to center — that Trent Grisham made another amazing diving catch on. The umps originally ruled it as a single, but after review it was ruled a catch. Jonathan India was moved back to 2nd.

Cruz then got Maikel Garcia to groundout to end the inning. It was still Yanks 6 KC 0.

5. Leiter Coughs Up Comebackers in 9th

It lined up as an easy win — but it’s never easy. Mark Leiter Jr. allowed an infield hit to Vinnie Pasquantino on a comebacker to him to start the 9th, and Salvador Perez parked one to left — a 2-run homer — for a 6-2 game.

Leiter then got a groundout, but allowed an infield hit to 3rd by Loftin.

Leiter then got another comebacker to him — this one by Rave — but he threw the ball away and the run scored. Yanks 6 KC 3 with a runner on 2nd and 1 out.

6. Devin the Save

In came Devin Williams — and he struck out Canha on a 2-2 Air Bender, and got Jonathan India to ground out on a 95-MPH fastball for the old ballgame.

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401695921

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