Tampa Bay Rays’ Logan Forsythe hits a home run as New York Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez, right, looks on during the third inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug.14, 2016, at Yankee Stadium in New York. Judge caught the final out of the first, stretching with his left arm to snag Evan Longoria’s flyout and then bracing himself with both hands as he hit the padded right-field wall.
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When the New York Yankees battle the Tampa Bay Rays this afternoon, a lineup filled with promising youth will take the field.
It’s always fun when a rookie kicks off his career with a home run in his very first career at-bat, and that’s exactly what Tyler Austin did when he socked a 92-mph fastball into the seats in right field for a homer on his debut.
It was the second time players homered in the first at-bat of their major league debuts in the same game but they were opponents: Brooklyn’s Earnie Koy and Philadelphia’s Heinie Mueller did it in the first inning at the Baker Bowl in Philadelphia on April 19, 1938. The 41-year-old designated hitter went 1 for 4 with a tying RBI double in the first off Archer and returned to third base for the first out of the ninth inning, leaving to a prolonged ovation from the sellout crowd of 46,459 after Mikie Mahtook’s leadoff strikeout.
Judge looked like Paul Bunyan at a burly 6-foot-7 and 275 pounds.
“You can’t draw it up any better when you call up two young players”, Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.
Not to be outdone, Aaron Judge followed Austin with a moonshot.
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Washington Nationals have released former closer Jonathan Papelbon. And in the next few years (and maybe 2019), they are going to a powerhouse team, with enough money to sign big-name free agents, and they could eventually start a new dynasty. When it’s time for the big leagues, it’s all about learning. The average age of the starters – 26 years, 165 days – was down from 31 years, 303 days from this season’s opener. Just like Austin, Judge would hit a home run.
Miller has 12 homers since the start of July. After finishing up with the Cardinals today, he’ll head into a home matchup against the Brewers.
Right-hander Zack Greinke (11-3, 3.67) goes for the Diamondbacks. Billy Hamilton, Zach Cozart, Adam Duvall, Brandon Phillips and Eugenio Suarez each had two hits, with Suarez belting a three-run home run in the decisive sixth inning.
“They were out there”. We’ve seen them do poorly and get through it.
The Pirates left the bases loaded in the first two innings and tied a franchise record for stranded runners last reached in 1951. Austin and judge each finished the game with two hits in four at-bats.
HARPER HAS MRI ON NECK: Harper has gotten an MRI for a neck injury that has sidelined the reigning NL MVP this week. Now every game isn’t going to be like Saturdays game, there will be just as many downs as ups.
“Bryce is day-to-day”, General Manager Mike Rizzo said.
Also in Triple-A, Rob Refsnyder officially reported to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Mason Williams came off the disabled list.
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“The roster has been changing a lot, so today is a new day. He feels good about it”. Its an exciting time to watch the Yankees and who knows, maybe in a couple of years they will capture that 28th title.
