Judge hits 55th homer of season, Yankees beat Athletics 7-4 and draw closer to clinching AL East

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Aaron Judge hit his major league-leading 55th homer of the season, Gleyber Torres and Jasson Domínguez also went deep and the Yankees beat the Oakland Athletics 7-4 on Sunday for a three-game sweep that moved New York to the verge of an AL East title.

Already assured of a playoff berth, the Yankees (92-64) can clinch the division with one victory over second-place Baltimore (86-70) during a three-game series in the Bronx that starts Tuesday night.

New York opened a two-game lead over Cleveland for homefield advantage throughout the AL playoffs.

“Hopefully it's rocking,” manager Aaron Boone said of what he expects the environment at Yankee Stadium to be like on Tuesday.

Judge, originally drafted by the A’s in 2010 and from the California Central Valley, homered in each of his final two games at the Coliseum. He received a rousing ovation from the large contingent of Yankees fans in attendance when he ran out to center field before the game and again when he rounded the bases after his solo shot to center in the third.

The A’s, who will play in Sacramento next season ahead of a planned move to Las Vegas in 2028, have one more series left at the Coliseum against the Texas Rangers beginning on Tuesday. They drew 24,663 in the Yankees’ series finale on Sunday.

Boone gave the game ball to Judge, who reached base four times and scored two runs. Judge said he was sad that the A’s are leaving Oakland, reminiscing on memories as both a player and a kid when he made a few trips to the Coliseum.

“There’s a lot of history in this building,” Judge said. “You can go back to the '70s, what they were able to do here three years in a row. A lot of special players played here, and just getting a chance to be on that same field and do some things - it’s definitely something I won’t forget.”

Judge already holds the AL single-season home run record he set with 62 in 2022 and moved ahead of Babe Ruth (1920, 1928), Mickey Mantle (1961) and Alex Rodriguez (2007) for fifth-most in franchise history. Judge has given the Yankees a lead with a home run 23 times this season.

A's manager Mark Kotsay said that Judge has his MVP vote and called the Yankees “one of the better teams we’ve run into.”

“That team showed why they have the record they do, why they’re going to the postseason,” Kotsay said. “They pretty much played really good baseball. They pitched really well and they had the timely hitting, the big hits and they showed their power today and this series.”

Domínguez tied the score at 2-2 with a two-run drive in the second. Judge followed in the third and Torres hit a solo shot to lead off the fifth off Joey Estes (7-9). Jazz Chisholm Jr. had a sacrifice fly later in the inning for a 5-2 lead.

Tyler Soderstrom and Ryan Noda each had two-run doubles for the A’s. Giancarlo Stanton doubled in a run in the seventh after Oakland closed to 5-4.

Luís Gil (15-6) won his third straight decision, allowing four runs, five hits and three walks in 5 1/3 innings. Luke Weaver got five outs for his fourth save.

Gil said he was “extremely happy and satisfied” to reach 15 wins as a rookie and thankful for the run support on Sunday.

“Even if the opposing team scores a thousand runs, I want to keep giving my team a shot,” Gil said in Spanish, through an interpreter. “Because I know that those guys are going to be able to come back and score.”

Oakland's Lawrence Butler went 0 for 5, ending his league-leading streak of reaching base safely at 27 straight games.

ROSTER MOVES

Athletics: RHP Brandon Bielak was designated for assignment and RHP Joe Boyle was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Yankees: RHP Jake Cousins (right pec strain) was placed on the 15-day injured list. Yankees manager Aaron Boone is hopeful that the reliever can return for the postseason, but is scheduled to see team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad on Monday. ... RHP Lou Trivino (right elbow), who is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, has been shut down from his minor league rehab assignment, Boone said.

Athletics: RHP Ross Stripling (lower back strain) threw a 30-pitch bullpen session. He is expected to face live hitters on Tuesday and could be activated ahead of the final weekend of the season.

UP NEXT

Yankees: RHP Clarke Schmidt (5-4, 2.37 ERA) is scheduled to start Tuesday night against Orioles RHP Dean Kremer (7-10, 4.19).

Athletics: RHP Mitch Spence (8-9, 4.30 ERA) start Tuesday against Rangers RHP Nathan Eovaldi (11-8, 3.96).

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