FLUSHING, NY — The Bronx Bombers flashed the leather Sunday afternoon at Citi Field as Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger each made game-defining defensive web gems in the Yankees’ 6-4 Subway Series finale win over the Mets.
Setting the scene out of Broadway, while the Yankees held a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the sixth, two down and Jonathan Loáisiga (Managua, Nicaragua) toeing the rubber—the Mets were on the brink of potentially tying the game or taking the lead depending on Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic’s Starling Marte, who stepped into the batter’s box already 3-3 on the day on a trio of singles.
On the fifth pitch of the at-bat, a 1-2, 90-MPH changeup, Marte hit a 77-MPH ‘flare’ off the bat to right field where Judge, listed at 6’7” and 282 lbs, with the will to win, put his body on the line, completing a diving snag.
That was just half of the pinstripe defensive Sunday showing since Bellinger carried it on into the bottom of the seventh with Mark Leiter Jr. on the mound, Juan Soto up to the plate and Francisco Lindor at first base due to the Puerto Rican getting hit by pitch.
Containing a golden opportunity in flipping the script, Soto (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) lasered a 2-1, 93-MPH sinker at an exit speed of 105-MPH to Bellinger’s vicinity in left field, but right in front of him in need of sprinting in and getting as low to the ground as he could.
On the perfect precision, execution, webbing and strings of his glove, Bellinger was able to pick off Soto’s potential single or perhaps extra-base hit if it got past him, and double up Lindor who got caught up in between running back from second base to first.
“Just got a good jump on the ball and read on it,” explained Bellinger of his clutch catch, resulting in a double play by him and first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. “It was a low line drive, so it was a little harder to read but went and grabbed it. Then I looked up and saw Goldy, a big target, I knew we had a chance over there…
I just wanted to make a good throw and good things happen there.”
‘Bang bang plays’ in back to back innings by Yankee corner outfielders to hold the lead, each playing major factors in Sunday’s 6-4 Subway Series finale win in Queens to salvage a three-game series and end a six-game losing streak.
“Considering the context of this week and everything, that’s probably our play of the year so far,” said Yankees’ manager Aaron Boone of Bellinger’s seventh inning catch. “And to have the wherewithal and the quality of the throw—to double him (Lindor) off, just a great play by Belly.”
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