Aaron Judge Homered Twice and the Yankees Just Swept Baltimore the Day They Lost Their Voice

The New York Yankees put on an absolute clinic against the Baltimore Orioles on Monday night, rolling to a 12-1 victory to complete a four-game sweep. But this one felt different. Just hours before first pitch, the organization learned that John Sterling, the legendary radio voice of the Yankees for 36 years until he retired after 2024, had passed away. The team held a moment of silence and laid a wreath at home plate before the game. Sterling's absence was felt, even as the team showed up in a big way on the field.

Judge Does Judge Things

Aaron Judge looked like the best player in baseball right now. He cranked a two-run homer in the first inning off Orioles starter Shane Baz, lifting a full-count curveball into the New York bullpen in right-center. Judge drove in four runs total and reached base three times. That homer was his 14th of the season, tying him for the major league lead. Even more insane: it was his 11th in his past 21 games. Oh, and he's now hit 53 homers in 124 career games against Baltimore. The guy owns them.

Yankees Cruising

New York's pitching was sharp. Cam Schlittler (5-1) allowed just one run on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings to get the win. Baz got shelled, giving up six runs (five earned) on five hits in 5 2/3 innings. This victory was the Yankees' 14th win in their past 16 games. That's the kind of stretch that makes you a problem in your division.

Around the Majors

The Dodgers beat the Astros 8-3 behind Yoshinobu Yamamoto's six quality innings. The Cubs walked it off against Cincinnati when Michael Conforto's pinch-hit solo homer in the ninth sent them past the Reds 5-4 for their sixth straight win. The White Sox blanked the Angels 6-0 in Anaheim, with Munetaka Murakami going off for three hits, three runs scored, and his 14th homer. The Mets outlasted Colorado 4-2 in Denver behind five combined pitchers who struck out 11. Aaron Nola was brilliant for the Phillies in their 1-0 win over Miami, throwing six scoreless innings with just one walk. And the Rays beat Toronto 5-1 for their fourth straight, with Ryan Vilade blasting a three-run shot in the first.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.