Judge stays at 61 homers on 61st anniversary of Maris' 61st

NEW YORK -- — Aaron Judge went 0 for 2 with two walks and was hit by a pitch, remaining at 61 homers on the 61st anniversary of Roger Maris setting the American League record, and the New York Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-0 Saturday.

Judge reached base leading off to spark a three-run first and a four-run seventh and also struckout twice. He leads the AL with 110 walks.

A 2-0 cutter from Austin Voth (5-4) glanced off Judge’s left arm in the first, and he walked on five pitches in the second. Judge struck out on a full-count curveball in the fourth — at 2:43 p.m., 61 years to the minute when Maris hit his 61st off Boston’s Tracy Stallard across the street at old Yankee Stadium on Oct. 1, 1961.

Judge walked on five pitches from Spenser Watkins in the seventh and struck out against him on a full count in the eighth. Both times, he fouled off a 3-0 pitch.

AL East champion New York (97-60) has five games remaining: Sunday’s home finale followed by a four-game series at Texas.

Judge is in contention to become the first Triple Crown winner in a decade. He leads in RBI and at .313 is second in batting to Minnesota’s Luis Arraez.

Nestor Cortes (12-4) matched his career high with 12 strikeouts, pitching one-hit ball for 7 1/3 innings and walking two. Jorge Mateo singled over leaping shortstop Oswald Peraza with two outs in the fifth.

With second baseman Gleyber Torres moved to right as part of a four-man outfield — and waving to fans in the seats behind him — Cortes used his hesitation delivery to fan Ryan Mountcastle for his 10th strikeout to end the sixth inning.

Jacob Barnes finished with two-hit relief in his Yankees debut, completing New York’s 16th shutout.

Kyle Higashioka had three hits, including a home run, and Torres and Josh Donaldson had two RBI each. Giancarlo Stanton hit a 447-foot drive into the left-field bleachers for a three-run homer.

Voth gave up four runs and seven hits in five innings for the surprising Orioles (81-77), who following a 110-loss season remained in postseason contention until mathematically eliminated by Seattle’s late-night win Friday.

Torres hit an RBI double in the first and scored on Donaldson’s sacrifice fly, and Stanton homered for a 3-0 lead.

Higashioka homered to make it 4-0 in the second, an inning when Peraza was called out for leaving third base early while trying to score on Torres’ flyout to center.

Replays showed Peraza tagged up properly, but the Yankees were out of challenges, having failed to overturn a forceout call on Judge sliding into second base in the first. New York manager Aaron Boone walked out to speak with third base umpire Jordan Baker between innings.

OUCH!

Anthony Rizzo was hit on the left knee by a pitch in the Yankees second, the 200th time he was hit by a pitch in his career.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Yankees: LHP Zack Britton was put on the 60-day IL, ending his season, his comeback from Tommy John surgery cut short after just three relief appearances because of arm fatigue. New York selected the contract of Barnes from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. ... INF-OF Matt Carpenter, sidelined since breaking his left toot on Aug. 8, ran on the field and will be among players reporting to training camp for Double-A Somerset. Boone anticipates Carpenter being available for the postseason as a pinch-hitter or designated hitter. ... RHP Frankie Montas, sidelined since Sept. 16 by inflammation in his pitching shoulder, has resumed throwing but may not be available until after the Division Series.

UP NEXT

RHP Luis Severino (6-3, 3.41) starts against Baltimore RHP Kyle Bradish (4-7, 5.11).

------