Aaron Judge gets David Ortiz's backing, tipped to turn dismal World Series around after Game 4 display
Red Sox legend David Ortiz commended New York Yankees Aaron Judge after the team bounced back to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 11-4 in Game 4 of the World Series at the Yankee Stadium on Tuesday.
It was a near perfect night for the Yanks fans as they saw three home run blasts from their batters, while Judge, who has hit a major slump this postseason, found some form.
Aaron Judge had a mixture of at-bats on Tuesday night. He fetched a walk in the first inning before being hit by pitch the next time he came to the plate. In the fifth inning, he reached base on an error. Judge flied out to center field leading off the seventh innings, the only time he was out in the entire game.
However, what would instill some hope in New York fans would be his final at-bat in the eighth inning when Judge came to bat with his team leading 10-4. Juan Soto was in scoring position after hitting a double. Judge hit a single to left field on a 1-1 count off reliever Brent Honeywell, driving home Soto.
This was the 32-year-old's first RBI since his ALCS Game 3 home run against the Cleveland Guardians. 'Big Papi' David Ortiz commended Judge, saying that it's a sign of better things to come if he's able to keep this form.
"I'll tell you what, that last at-bat coming from Judge ... look out. He showed the best bat he had shown in the last four games," Ortiz said.
Yankees achieve rare feat in forcing World Series Game 5
With the odds heavily stacked against them, the Yankees pulled off something that had only been done thrice in the last 24 times a team had fallen to a 3-0 deficit in the Fall Classic. Only the 1910 Philadelphia Athletics, 1937 Yankees and the 1970 Baltimore Orioles were able to avoid a sweep and force a Game 5.
Something those teams couldn't do was stall their opponents' victory celebrations for another game, though. If New York win at home on Wednesday, it will create history, as the series will head back to Los Angeles for the final two games with the pressure shifting to the home team.
Jack Flaherty and Gerrit Cole face off once again in the starter's battle, a repeat of the series opener.