Will Warren DEALS. Rice & Judge Homer. NY 5 Texas 2

May 21, 2025 paperbacklou 2025 0

Will Warren struck out 10 batters in pitching a shutout into the 6th, Ben Rice and Aaron Judge hit HR’s, and the Yankee bullpen did the rest for a 5-2 win over Texas at Yankee Stadium on a beautiful (but tad chilly) Tuesday night.

That Yankee pen included:

  • Mark Leiter Jr. who relieved Warren with bases loaded and 2 outs in the 6th and got a huge strikeout to end the inning,
  • Devin Williams who looked real good again,
  • Ian Hamilton who had a hick-up in the 9th (allowing a 2-run HR with 2 outs and then a triple), and
  • Luke Weaver who got the final out for the save.

Rice’s HR was a solo job against tough lefty Patrick Corbin to put NY up 1-0. Judge’s HR was a 2-run job that made it 5-0 in the 8th. Judge went 2-4 so he’s at .403. The other Yankee runs were on a sac fly by Rice and an RBI double by Anthony Volpe.

But the story was Warren — who is looking more and more with each start like the Michael King clone he’s been called — another elite young starter the Yanks have brought up through their system.

“It’s just the next wave of execution,” said manager Aaron Boone afterwards about Warren. “Gaining a little more confidence and knowing all his stuff plays. He’s got different ways to get you out and different ways to beat you. There’s been times he’s faced a lefty-heavy lineup and he’s been able to navigate that. Tonite more of a righthanded heavy lineup.”

“I think he’s just putting it together now,” continued Boone, “Which… we’ve been seeing this to start the year and even parts of last year,” “Just that next wave of execution to really finish off outings, or allow you to really pitch effectively; staying away from the big mistake.”

NY improves to 28-19, in 1st in the AL East by 5 games. Texas falls to 25-24.

1. Warren DEALS

Warren was DEALING — using his filthy sinker/sweeper mix to keep batters confused, taking strikes, or swinging and missing. He threw in his nasty curveball, all which made his 95-MPH fastball play up.

Warren was helped in the top of the 1st by Austin Wells — the two teaming for a strike-em-out-throw-em-out double play.

Pitching Ninja is a big fan of Warren — calling him a “Michael King clone” and he posted a lot of Warren through the evening.

Warren’s sinker/slider overlay:

Warren’s Curve:

Warren had a 2-0 shutout going into the 6th when he ran into trouble — even with a little help from his defense.

Oswald Peraza made a spectacular head-first dive and catch into the tarpulin to start the inning.

But then Warren yielded a 1-out walk to leftfielder Wyatt Langford, infield single by 3rd baseman Josh Jung, and single to right by rightfielder Adolis Garcia loaded the bases with 1 out.

But Warren got tough — striking out 2nd baseman Marcus Semien on a 2-2 sinker for the 2nd out.

2. Leiter Saves Warren in 6th

In came Mark Leiter Jr. with bases still loaded but now 2 outs in the 2-0 game, and he struck out DH Joc Pederson with 4 NASTY splitters.

3. Rice Solo HR in 2nd

Ben Rice opened the scoring with a solo HR to right off tough lefty Patrick Corbin with 2 outs in the 2nd.

4. Rice Sac Fly in 4th Makes It 2-0

Aaron Judge led off the bottom of the 4th with a single, went to 3rd on an infield single by Cody Bellinger, stayed on 3rd when Anthony Volpe popped out to 3rd — which drew ire from some Yankee fans on Twitter, but scored on a Ben Rice sac fly. Yanks 2 Rangers 0.

5. Volpe RBI Double in 6th Makes It 3-0

Volpe made amends in the bottom of the 6th. After Warren and Leiter had just gotten out of a bases-loaded, 1 out jam in the top of the 6th, Paul Goldschmidt walked and Trent Grisham singled to left to send Corbin to the showers.

Jacob Webb came in and struck out Aaron Judge and got Bellinger to pop out to 3rd. But Anthony Volpe came through with a 2-out, clutch RBI double to center for a 3-0 Yankee lead.

6. Devin Pitches Shutout 8th

Devin Williams looked good again. He allowed a 1-out double to Wyatt Langford in the top of the 8th, but then struck out Josh Jung and Adolis Garcia to end the inning.

7. Judge HR in 8th Makes It 5-0

And Aaron Judge put the game away by slashing a 326-foot line drive into the short porch in opposite field right, scoring Grisham ahead of him — for a 5-0 Yank lead in the bottom of the 8th. When told it was the shortest homer of his career, Judge chuckled and said “It counts the same as the longest one I’ve hit.”

8. Hamilton Coughs Up 2-out HR in 9th

Ian Hamilton issued a 1-out walk in the top of the 9th, then allowed a 2-out homer to right by catcher Jonah Heim, making it a 5-2 game.

Sam Haggerty then tripled to center and Hamilton was yanked.

9. Weaver the Save

Luke Weaver came in with runner on 3rd and 2 outs, and got Josh Smith to pop out to 2nd for the old ballgame.

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401695626

 

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