The Rays jumped out to an early lead but gradually let the Yankees back into the game, eventually losing. We did see Aaron Judge hit two home runs, though, which was pretty cool. He cleared the catwalks on one that actually came right toward our left field bleacher seats. There is no question about his talent–he's an absolute monster; a once in a generation power hitter.
Watching him crush two home runs was special, and will undoubtedly become a baseball memory that I cherish.
But, it's the Yankees in Tampa Bay, which means their fans outnumbered Rays fans in the stadium. I hate that.
So, as a Rays fan, my favorite memory of the night was watching Judge come to the plate with bases loaded in the top of the fifth inning. Yankees fans were confident he was going to crush a grand slam. He had, after all, already hit one of his two homers for the day. They could just feel the grannie in the air. And so could Renee and I, frankly. The guy is flat out fearsome in that situation, and the entire stadium–Yankees fans, Rays fans, and, I suspect, the players, too–felt that.
But the Rays pitcher had nerves of steel and struck him out swinging. Beautiful!
That at bat, with the tension and battle that comes with every pitch and every swing in those situations, is everything I love about baseball.
And, I have to admit, the redemption opportunity baseball gives every player, often later in the same game, is part of it, too, even when it works for the Yankees. Judge did, after all, hit that cat-walk-clearing second home run of the game in the top of the seventh inning, his first at bat following that strikeout in the top of the fifth. Mr. Judge redeemed himself, with emphasis.
tags: baseball mlb rays yankees
postposted by matt in Wednesday, June 22, 2022
