New York’s offense exploded for 21 hits in a commanding victory over Colorado at Coors Field. The Yankees answered Friday’s shocking defeat with authority. They demolished the struggling Rockies 13-1 in a performance that reminded everyone of the talent gap between these clubs.
Max Fried dominated on the mound while New York’s bats came alive. The Yankees sent 14 batters to the plate during a massive 10-run fifth inning. What started as a 1-1 deadlock became a laugher within minutes. The Bronx Bombers needed this type of response after losing to a team with just nine wins.
Judge sets the tone early
Aaron Judge wasted no time making his mark. The Yankees captain crushed his 18th home run of the year in the first inning. Judge connected with one out to give New York an early 1-0 advantage. The lead held until Max Fried allowed Colorado to tie the game in the fourth frame.
The Rockies might have thought they could duplicate Friday’s upset magic. The fifth inning crushed those dreams completely.
Yankees unleash hell in the fifth
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Austin Wells started the rally with a clean single. Oswald Peraza followed by ripping a double off the left-center wall. Wells raced home to put the Yankees ahead 2-1. The dugout erupted as momentum shifted dramatically.
Paul Goldschmidt drew a walk next. The floodgates opened from there.
“The hit of the game,” Aaron Boone called Peraza’s double. The manager praised how that at-bat energized his entire team.
Ten runs crossed the plate before the inning ended. New York collected eight hits during the frame. Seven runs came without earning them as Colorado imploded. Kyle Freeland’s wild throw on Trent Grisham’s comebacker triggered the collapse. The Yankees capitalized on every mistake while creating their own opportunities.
Cody Bellinger, Jasson Domínguez, Anthony Volpe, and DJ LeMahieu all contributed hits. Wells and Grisham each smacked two-run doubles in their second plate appearances of the inning. Every Yankees starter recorded at least one hit. All nine starters drove in runs. Only Domínguez failed to score despite going 2-for-3 with a walk.
‘Good players, good hitters’
Boone described the offensive explosion in simple terms. He credited talent, patience, and execution for the breakthrough. The Yankees had managed just 12 runs in their previous four games combined. They doubled that total in one afternoon.
“Good players, good hitters,” Boone explained. “But today was a really good example of a really good snowball inning.”
Goldschmidt recognized how early momentum swings shaped the game. “Very first pitch, Peraza hit that double — that was really the big swing. Then we had the lead and momentum and we were able to add on from there.”
The hitting display featured three-hit games from Goldschmidt, Bellinger, Volpe, and LeMahieu. Reserves J.C. Escarra and Pablo Reyes added hits in late appearances. The Yankees scored their most runs since Opening Day.
Max Fried stays unstoppable
AP Photo/David Zalubowski
The offense grabbed headlines, but Max Fried continued his excellent season quietly. The southpaw improved to 7-0 with a sparkling 1.29 ERA. He limited Colorado to one run across 7.1 innings while striking out seven and walking one.
Fried required only 83 pitches and could have pitched deeper. Boone removed him after the eighth inning began. Fried lobbied to stay but accepted the decision.
“He made some good points that there were some long innings and some pitching changes and we have a long season,” Fried explained. “I understood the reasoning and I respected him.”
Fried stayed composed even after allowing the tying run in the fourth. He picked off Jordan Beck and Aaron Schunk while benefiting from sharp defensive play.
“Giving up one to tie the game (in the fourth) and then having a 10-run inning behind you allows you to just get a little bit more aggressive in the zone,” Fried noted. “We had some unbelievable plays behind me. I think it was just a really great team win.”
Ian Hamilton pitched the final 1.2 innings without trouble. He surrendered a meaningless run but preserved the blowout victory.
A message delivered
Saturday’s triumph meant more than splitting the series. It sent a clear signal that the Yankees won’t accept subpar performances. After watching the 9-43 Rockies celebrate Friday night, New York delivered its most complete effort of the season.
“We were all kind of pissed that we gave up the lead there in the inning prior,” Judge admitted. “But the boys answered back. That was the main thing: tie game, we got our ace on the mound, let’s go to work and do our thing.”
The Yankees (31-20) will seek to capture the series in Sunday’s deciding game. A victory would prevent the embarrassing scenario of giving Colorado (9-43) its first series win this season.
“This is how it’s supposed to look,” Boone observed. A matchup between 31-20 and 9-43 teams shouldn’t be competitive. Saturday’s demolition restored proper order.
Saturday’s performance showcased the Yankees’ potential when everything clicked. Judge’s early power display sparked the team. Fried’s masterful pitching kept Colorado quiet. The fifth-inning assault buried any comeback hopes. This looked like the contending club New York expects to be. When the team plays with unity, aggression, and confidence, Fried said, “It’s just a really great team win.”
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