The Yankees took care of the Nationals with ease on Wednesday, leveling the last-place club with six home runs in an 11-2 win.
The beatdown, which secured a series sweep, got out of hand early, as the Yankees scored nine runs and totaled four longballs in the third inning. The team has now blasted four-plus home runs in one inning on three separate occasions this year. No team in major league history has logged more four-plus-homer innings in a season, per Stathead’s Katie Sharp.
“That was outstanding,” Aaron Boone said of his offense, which totaled 26 runs in the series. “That was some banging right there.”
Wednesday’s third-inning bombardment began with Aaron Judge, who crushed a two-run homer. Judge had been scuffling prior to that, as he entered the afternoon with a .120 average over his last seven games.
Then came his 41st dinger of the season.
“I know he’s always tinkering and always working,” Boone said. “It was good to see him get some results today.”
Cody Bellinger immediately followed with a solo home run, while Ryan McMahon hit his second jack a Yankee, a three-run rip, later in the inning.
The Yankees’ first three home runs of the inning came off Nationals starter Cade Cavalli before Ben Rice added one against Shinnosuke Ogasawara.
Jasson Domínguez also had an RBI ground-rule double and a run-scoring infield single in the third frame.
“Everybody’s trying to pass the baton,” Judge said. “We had some big walks there later in the inning to kind of keep it rolling. Good offenses do that. We just gotta keep that in the next series.”
Rice shared a similar sentiment, claiming the Yankees’ thrilling third had a “contagious” element to it.
“It was a lot of fun,” he said. “We were enjoying ourselves.”
The Yankees’ first home run of the day came courtesy of Trent Grisham in the opening inning. He now has six leadoff home runs this season.
Austin Wells also went deep in the fourth inning.
While the Bombers’ bats pummeled Washington, Max Fried held them hitless for the first five innings. It wasn’t until Jacob Young led the sixth inning off with a single that the Nats had a knock.
Two more singles followed in the sixth, resulting in an RBI for CJ Abrams. However, Fried dominated the D.C. ballclub, allowing just that one run over seven innings of work.
Fried also ended up tallying four hits, two walks, six strikeouts, 94 pitches and one 45-minute wait thanks to the Yankees’ crazy third inning.
“It’s a good problem to have, right?” the pitcher said of the delay. “So I just tried to do my best to stay warm in the tunnel underneath, throw, get out there as quick as possible, and then just try to stay on the attack.”
The Nationals scored once more in the ninth, as Andrés Chaparro homered off Paul Blackburn.
With the offense explosive and Fried sharp for the second straight start, the Yankees have now swept three of their last four series. Those sweeps have come against sub-.500 teams, though, and that stretch also includes losing 3-of-4 to the rival Red Sox.
Boston woke up Wednesday with a half-game lead over the Yankees for the American League’s top Wild Card spot. The Red Sox had a night game on their schedule.
The Yankees, meanwhile, had plans to fly to Chicago for a four-game series against the White Sox.
Like the Nationals, the South Siders have been one of baseball’s worst teams this season. However, Boone didn’t want to underestimate Chicago as the Yankees look to bully another inferior opponent.
“We got a challenge coming up with the White Sox, who, by the way, are hitting the ball about as good as anyone in the second half of the season and playing really well,” the manager said. “This is The Show, so if you don’t play well, you’re gonna get beat.”
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