Yardbarker
x
Yankees clinch wild-card spot on Aaron Judge infield hit
Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge waves to the crowd after his game-winning RBI single to defeat the Tampa Bay Rays 1-0 and clinch a wild-card playoff spot at Yankee Stadium. Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Sometimes a home run isn’t needed to get the job done. Sometimes all you need to do is get your bat on the ball. That was the case for Aaron Judge on Sunday.

The New York Yankees kept their fans on edge for eight and a half scoreless innings against the Tampa Bay Rays. Finally in the bottom of the ninth, they got two runners on.

Judge was at the plate with runners on second and third and one out against Andrew Kittredge. He stuck his bat out at a 2-2 pitch and hit a ball that deflected off the mound into the air. The change of direction gave enough time for Tyler Wade to dive into home before the tag.

That gave the Yankees a 1-0 walk-off win and allowed them to clinch the top AL wild-card spot. At the time of their victory, they were assured of at least a tie for the wild card. Now they are definitively in, at least for one game.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

+

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.