Judge halts longest HR drought of career with go-ahead grand slam to lift Yankees over Red Sox 5-4

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge ended the longest home run drought of his career with a go-ahead grand slam in the seventh inning that rallied the New York Yankees past the Boston Red Sox 5-4 on Friday night.

The star slugger had gone 16 games and 75 plate appearances without a longball before launching a clutch drive into the lower left-field seats off reliever Cam Booser (2-3) for a 5-4 advantage.

New York won its third straight and extended its AL East lead to three games over Baltimore, held hitless for 8 2/3 innings by four Tigers pitchers in a 1-0 loss at Detroit. It is the Yankees' largest cushion since they led by 3 1/2 games before a June 15 defeat at Boston that started a 4-14 slide.

“Hopefully nobody's looking at the standings,” Judge said. “I'm certainly not.”

The fading Red Sox (74-74) are 4 1/2 games behind Minnesota for the league's last wild card.

Mark Leiter Jr. (4-5) got four outs in relief of starter Clarke Schmidt for the win. Luke Weaver struck out five in two scoreless innings to earn his second career save.

“Just got to keep it rolling,” Judge said. “Everybody’s doing their job.”

Judge’s eighth career slam and second this season sent the Yankee Stadium crowd of 45,292 — and jubilant players in the New York dugout — into a jumping, dancing frenzy. The 6-foot-7 team captain popped out of the dugout for a curtain call.

“Tonight was rocking, especially in that seventh inning,” Judge said. “Kind of felt like a playoff atmosphere there in the seventh inning as we were kind of rallying. So, we've been waiting for that, that's for sure.”

It was the 52nd homer of the season for Judge, who also leads the majors with 130 RBIs. He hadn’t gone deep since Aug. 25, when he homered twice against Colorado.

Judge hit nine homers in 10 games before the drought.

The 2022 AL MVP set a career worst when his homerless streak reached 16 games Thursday night against Boston.

Emergency starter Richard Fitts pitched five shutout innings for Boston after Tanner Houck was scratched less than an hour before the first pitch due to right shoulder fatigue.

“I think the team did everything they needed to do," Booser said. “I think this is solely on me. Didn’t do my job.”

Masataka Yoshida snapped a scoreless tie when he connected for a two-run homer that chased Schmidt with two outs in the sixth.

Trevor Story hit a two-run shot off Leiter in the seventh for a 4-0 lead, his first home run this season after returning last weekend from a dislocated left shoulder that had sidelined him since April 6.

“It’s a tough one. No getting around it," Story said. "Tough game. That kind of stuff can happen in the big leagues.”

Zack Kelly walked the bottom two batters in New York's lineup starting the seventh and was removed after an RBI single by Gleyber Torres. Juan Soto drew a four-pitch walk from Booser before Judge connected on a 2-0 fastball.

“I think this probably might be my most memorable win of my career so far here. I think just the magnitude of that homer,” said Schmidt, who made his second start since since recovering from a strained right lat muscle.

“It was like everything clicked. It was a perfect moment. Just really special. The whole team's kind of a part of it.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Red Sox: OF Rob Refsnyder (right wrist discomfort) remained out of the starting lineup, but manager Alex Cora said he hopes Refsnyder can start Sunday against left-hander Carlos Rodón. ... RHP Liam Hendriks said he still hopes to pitch for the Red Sox this season despite a small setback in his rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery — but that will largely depend on whether they remain in the pennant race. Hendriks will receive a cortisone injection in his right elbow Monday in Boston and then be shut down for about three days before he resumes throwing.

Yankees: Manager Aaron Boone said Judge will probably be the designated hitter Saturday to give him a bit of a breather.

UP NEXT

Red Sox RHP Brayan Bello (13-7, 4.70 ERA) faces Yankees ace Gerrit Cole (6-4, 3.36) on Saturday.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

New York Yankees' Clarke Schmidt pitches during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge, center, Alex Verdugo, left, and Juan Soto, right, celebrate after a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

New York Yankees relief pitcher Luke Weaver reacts after the final out of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Cam Booser reacts after giving up a grand slam to New York Yankees' Aaron Judge during the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge reacts after hitting a grand slam during the seventh inning of a baseball game at bat Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge reacts after hitting a grand slam off Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Cam Booser during the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge hits a grand slam during the seventh inning of a baseball game at bat Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge hits a grand slam during the seventh inning of a baseball game at bat Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

DALLAS (AP) — Igor Shesterkin stopped 41 shots, including 23 on seven successful penalty kills, and the struggling New York Rangers beat the Dallas Stars 3-1 on Friday night to end a three-game losing streak.

The Rangers also scored on their penalty kill, Reilly Smith’s short-handed goal tying the score midway through the first period. Vincent Trocheck scored the tiebreaking goal and Chris Kreider added an empty-netter late in the third period.

Roope Hintz scored for the Stars, who completed a season-high six-game homestand at 3-3-0. Jake Oettinger stopped 27 shots making his eighth consecutive start.

New York won for the fourth time in 18 games after allowing the first goal.

Eight of Shesterkin’s saves came during a five-minute elbowing penalty against Matt Rempe midway through the third period.

Hintz has four goals in the last six games and a team-high 16 this season.

Each team had a goal disallowed during the first 1:15 for offside.

Rangers: Artemi Panarin, who leads the team in goals and points, returned after missing two games with an upper body injury and assisted on Trocheck’s goal. Rempe, who was given a game misconduct, drew all three Dallas penalties.

Stars: They went in 31st in home power play and dropped to 10.3%

Smith took the puck from Thomas Harley, the lone defender on Dallas’ power play, near the Rangers’ blue line and broke in to tie the score after the Rangers fell behind early.

A matchup of the second-best penalty kills both home and road delivered no goals in 23 combined power play minutes.

Rangers host Carolina on Sunday, and Stars visit Utah on Monday night.

AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL

New York Rangers left wing Chris Kreider (20) pressures the net as Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger (29) defends in the second period of an NHL hockey game in Dallas, Friday, Dec. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

New York Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren (55) works to take control of the puck while under pressure from Dallas Stars center Sam Steel (18) in the first period of an NHL hockey game in Dallas, Friday, Dec. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

New York Rangers' Vincent Trocheck (16), Alexis Lafrenière (13) and Adam Fox, right, celebrate Trocheck's score against the Dallas Stars in the first period of an NHL hockey game in Dallas, Friday, Dec. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz (24) celebrates in front of New York Rangers' Brett Berard (65) and Mika Zibanejad (93) after Hintz scored in the first period of an NHL hockey game in Dallas, Friday, Dec. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (31) blocks a shot under pressure frojm Dallas Stars' Mason Marchment (27) and Sam Steel (18) as Urho Vaakanainen, right, looks on in the third period of an NHL hockey game in Dallas, Friday, Dec. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger (29) slaps the puck away on an attack by New York Rangers' Matt Rempe (73) in the second period of an NHL hockey game in Dallas, Friday, Dec. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

New York Rangers left wing Artemi Panarin (10) controls the puck in front of Dallas Stars' Mason Marchment (27) in the first period of an NHL hockey game in Dallas, Friday, Dec. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

New York Rangers right wing Reilly Smith (91) celebrates with the bench after scoring against the Dallas Stars in the first period of an NHL hockey game in Dallas, Friday, Dec. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (31) prepares to block a shot as defenseman Braden Schneider (4) helps against pressure by Dallas Stars left wing Jason Robertson (21) in the third period of an NHL hockey game in Dallas, Friday, Dec. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

New York Rangers' Igor Shesterkin (31) and Vincent Trocheck (16) celebrate the team's win in an NHL hockey game against the Dallas Stars in Dallas, Friday, Dec. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)