Yankees judge shows frustration, still on 61 home runs with 2 games remaining

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Aaron Judge slammed his helmet in a rare show of frustration and the Yankees slugger stayed on 61 home runs with just two games left to break the AL record after New York beat Texas on Tuesday 5-4 to open a day-night double ride.

Judge went 1 for 5 with a single and scored the deciding run. But No. 99 came anywhere near the wall in the Yankees’ 99th win of the season.

Judge has gone five games without a homer, and the only time he’s gone deep in the last 13 games was when he matched Roger Maris’ American League record with his 61st homer in Toronto last Wednesday Has.

A crowd of fans hoping to see history was on their feet when Judge touched down on the first pitch of the game and again when he lofted a routine flyout to the right on the third.

In the fifth he had an infield pop-up and TV cameras caught him slamming his helmet into a stand in the dugout. The judge singled in the eighth and got another at-bat in the ninth, landing on the first pitch.

The judge’s batting average dropped to .310. He trails AL leader Luis Arraez, who started the day at .315 in his bid to win the Triple Crown.

The judge saw a total of 12 pitches and struck eight of them. In three bats he swung the first throw.

It was Judge’s 156th game overall and the 54th straight he has played for the Yankees since Aug. 5. Manager Aaron Boone had hinted that Judge would play in the nightcap if he was still on 61 homers, and they close regular play on Wednesday.

Oswaldo Cabrera, Oswald Peraza and Kyle Higashioka all hit solo homers for the AL East Champion Yankees.

Higashioka’s homer on Brock Burke (7-5), finishing the direct center-off release, earned 4th place in eighth. Higashioka tied his career-high 10 homers, all from June 12.

Judge followed up with a line drive single and eventually scored a hit on Harrison Bader’s single.

Adolis García hit his 27th homer, a two-barrel shot in the fifth that earned him 100 RBIs for the Rangers, who lost their seventh straight game.

Aroldis Chapman (4-4) worked his way to victory with a perfect seventh place finish. Jonathan Loaisiga worked the ninth for his second save, allowing a singles before a game-ending doubles game when Leody Taveras mistakenly ran to the right from second base onto Marcus Semien’s liner.

Cabrera went deep for the sixth time in the first inning, and Peraza’s first big league homer tied the game with 2 in the second.

Peraza’s ball landed in the crowded left field courts, where fans crowded in hopes of a ball from Judge. The Yankees TV show reported that the family, who got Peraza’s ball, were at the game after their home in Fort Myers, Fla. was destroyed by Hurricane Ian last week. YES said the family gave the ball to the Yankees and are ready to meet Peraza between games.

Josh Jung, the rookie third baseman who hit .198 whose one-out single in the eighth inning broke New York’s no-hit bid Monday night, was credited with two RBIs on his single right in the first.

Nathaniel Lowe had a two-out single before García was hit by a throw. García slowed on Jung’s hits near third base but pulled home when right fielder Marwin Gonzalez hesitated before throwing the ball back infield.

Gonzalez had an RBI single that gave the Yankees a 3-2 lead in the fifth after Peraza had a leadoff single and stole second base.

TO THE STARTER

Yankees right-hander Jameson Taillon hit out five while allowing four carries and seven hits over six innings. Texas right-hander Jon Gray allowed three runs with four hits over six innings. He beat three without a step.

TRAINING ROOM

Yankees: 2B Gleyber Torres was still not feeling well after suffering a late scratch Monday due to flu-like symptoms. … Reliever Ron Marinaccio has been placed on the 15-day injured list with a stress reaction in his right shin and will miss the AL Division Series. … Right-hander Albert Abreu has been reinstated on the injured list after being out since August 20 with a right elbow infection.

HIGH NEXT

RHP Gerrit Cole (13-7, 3.51) went into the nightcap with 248 strikeouts, along with Ron Guidry for the Yankees’ single-season record. Rangers went into the nightcap with a bullpen game.