New York Yankees' Aaron Judge hits a home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Wednesday, April 16, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Judge hits go-ahead homer to end 10-game drought as Yankees edge Royals 4-3 for 3-game sweep
NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge hit a tiebreaking homer leading off the seventh inning that ended a 10-game drought, and the New York Yankees defeated the Kansas City Royals 4-3 on Wednesday night to complete a three-game sweep.
With a runner at second base in the ninth, Cody Bellinger made a diving catch in right field on MJ Melendez’s sinking liner to preserve Fernando Cruz’s first career save.
Judge went deep for the first time since April 4 in Pittsburgh when he lifted a 1-0 sinker from John Schreiber (1-1) into the New York bullpen beyond the right-center fence.
Judge had three hits for the third time this season. He reached base four times and his batting average climbed 27 points to a major league-best .409.
Yankees starter Clarke Schmidt had some dominant moments and pitched 5 2/3 innings of three-run ball in his season debut. After recovering from rotator cuff tendinitis, the right-hander permitted four hits and threw 73 pitches.
New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge gestures as he runs the bases after hitting a home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Wednesday, April 16, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Anthony Volpe hit a two-run double in the third and Bellinger had an RBI double in the fourth to give the Yankees a 3-1 lead.
Schmidt retired 11 straight before Drew Waters opened the fifth with a single and scored on Kyle Isbel’s triple. Isbel scored the tying run on a groundout by Jonathan India.
Salvador Perez hit an RBI single four batters in before Schmidt settled down.
Kansas City starter Kris Bubic allowed three runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Mark Leiter Jr. (2-1) got four outs after Schmidt was lifted, and Cruz pitched two scoreless innings.
New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge hits a double during the third inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Wednesday, April 16, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Key moment
After the Royals tied the game, Bobby Witt Jr. swung at the first pitch and flied out to end the fifth.
Key stat
Judge entered hitting .382 (13 for 34) over his previous 10 games.
Up next
New York Yankees’ Clarke Schmidt pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Wednesday, April 16, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Royals: RHP Michael Lorenzen (1-2, 3.71 ERA) opposes Tigers RHP Reese Olson (1-1, 6.00) in the opener of a four-game series Thursday at Detroit.
Yankees: RHP Will Warren (1-0, 5.14 ERA), who earned his first career win Saturday, faces Rays RHP Taj Bradley (2-0, 3.71) in the opener of a four-game series at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida, on Thursday.
Kansas City Royals’ Salvador Perez hits an RBI single during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees Wednesday, April 16, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)New York Yankees pitcher Fernando Cruz celebrates after a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Wednesday, April 16, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)Kansas City Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr. turns toward home plate to score on an RBI single by Salvador Perez during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees Wednesday, April 16, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge, left, celebrates with Cody Bellinger after a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Wednesday, April 16, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)Kansas City Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr. (7) throws out New York Yankees’ Austin Wells at first base after forcing out Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) for a double play during the seventh inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 16, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge hits a single during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Wednesday, April 16, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge gestures to teammates after hitting a double during the third inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Wednesday, April 16, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)New York Yankees pitcher Clarke Schmidt, right, hands the ball to manager Aaron Boone as he leaves during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Wednesday, April 16, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)Kansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro argues a call with first base umpire Junior Valentine during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees Wednesday, April 16, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)New York Yankees’ Jazz Chisholm Jr. runs to home plate to score on a two-run double by Anthony Volpe during the third inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Wednesday, April 16, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)Kansas City Royals’ Kris Bubic pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees Wednesday, April 16, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
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This story makes a correction to show Judge was hitting .382 over his previous 10 games, not 11 games.
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