In a display of athletic excellence, Yankees captain Aaron Judge illuminated the evening with his seventh career grand slam against the Mets, though his efforts were part of a losing cause as the Yankees succumbed to a 9-7 defeat.
The game, which unfolded largely in favor of the Mets, saw a dramatic turn in the eighth inning when Judge’s grand slam injected a burst of competitiveness into the proceedings.
The event took on an additional layer of intrigue due to a playful wager made by Cleveland Cavaliers’ guard Donovan Mitchell. Before the game, Mitchell had publicly declared that he would delete his X (formerly Twitter) account if Judge managed to hit a grand slam.
As fate would have it, Judge’s powerful swing not only sent the ball soaring 390 feet into the Yankees bullpen but also set the social media world abuzz with anticipation about Mitchell’s next move.
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The game itself began under challenging circumstances for the Yankees, with starting pitcher Gerrit Cole struggling on the mound.
Making his second start since returning from an injury, Cole’s pitches lacked their usual velocity, which the Mets capitalized on by hammering four home runs against him.
Despite a three-run rally by the Yankees in the sixth inning, they trailed 9-1 before starting a late-game comeback.
The seeds of a potential rally were sown in the seventh inning when Judge hit a double that drove in Anthony Volpe.
The stage was set in the following inning when teammates Trent Grisham, Austin Wells, and Juan Soto loaded the bases. With two outs and a 0-2 count, Judge stepped up and delivered the grand slam that dramatically reduced the Mets’ lead.
Despite the late scare, the Mets’ bullpen managed to clamp down and secure the win. The aftermath of the game was dominated by reactions to Mitchell’s earlier claim, with fans eagerly waiting to see if he would indeed follow through with his promise to leave X.
Adding to the narrative, teammate Juan Soto, who also contributed with a solo home run earlier in the game, lauded Judge’s performance and influence. “Every time he steps into that box, something good is going to happen. He’s an unbelievable player,” Soto remarked, highlighting Judge’s pivotal role in the Yankees’ lineup.
As the season progresses, Judge, with 29 home runs to his name at the season’s midpoint, is on pace to challenge his own American League record of 62 home runs set the previous year, continuing his trajectory as one of baseball’s standout stars.
