Los Angeles Angels at New York Yankees

After the Yankees were swept by the Rays for the first time since April 2021, Aaron Judge preached a simple message to New York’s lineup following their fifth straight loss: “We need to simplify.” And in his very first at-bat back in the Bronx on Monday, Judge set the tone with a loud two-run blast off Angels starter Yusei Kikuchi, sending a hanging changeup a Statcast-projected 456 feet into the left-field bleachers at Yankee Stadium. Judge’s fifth homer of the year left the bat with an exit velocity of 116.2 mph -- the hardest-hit home run across the Majors so far -- and was the fourth-longest in MLB, as well. He didn't stop there. After three-time MVP Mike Trout launched a game-tying three-run homer in the top of the sixth inning, Judge one-upped him in the bottom half with his second blast of the game to quickly put the Yanks ahead again. Another no-doubter punctuated by a casual bat flip, this one went a mere 398 feet and was hit with an exit velocity of 111.4 mph. Judge wasn’t alone in his heroics. Trent Grisham broke out of his own slump: First with a go-ahead three-run pinch-hit blast in the fifth inning, and then a second, game-tying two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth off Angels closer Jordan Romano. Grisham, who hadn’t notched an extra-base hit since March 31, set the stage for José Caballero to scamper home on a walk-off wild pitch, clawing an 11-10 Yankees win from the depths. The club snapped its five-game losing streak and notched its first positive result in a one-run game this season. “In a lot of ways, good to win a game like that,” manager Aaron Boone said. “ … As tough as tonight was for the belly sitting over there -- after you get a lead, get another lead and then it’s gone -- maybe it was good to have a game like that, where it was a little messy and then the offense was able to really pick up what’s been excellent pitching so far.”