AARON Judge blasted a pair of solo home runs to raise his season total to 59 and move within two of the single-season American League record as the visiting New York Yankees avoided a series sweep with a 12-8 comeback victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday (Monday in Manila).
Judge homered in the third and again in the seventh to pull within two of the AL and Yankees team record of 61, set by Roger Maris in 1961. Judge also hit a two-run double in the ninth.
Gerrit Cole (12-7) earned the win with four hits, four runs, three walks and eight strikeouts in five innings. Hoby Milner (3-3) took the loss after earning two runs on one hit and one walk.
Milwaukee, which is two games out of the third National League wild-card spot, got two runs in the ninth on Jace Peterson’s pinch-hit ground-rule double, but the Brewers left the bases loaded.
In other games, it was the Astros 11, Athletics 2; White Sox 11, Tigers 5; Rays 5, Rangers 3; Red Sox 13, Royals 3; Braves 5, Phillies 2; Mets 7, Pirates 3; Marlins 3, Nationals 1; Orioles 5, Blue Jays 4; Twins 3, Guardians 0; Reds 3, Cardinals 0; Rockies 3, Cubs 0; Padres 6, Diamondbacks 1; Angels 5, Mariners 1; and Dodgers 4, Giants 3.
Astros 11, Athletics 2
Framber Valdez set a single-season record for consecutive quality starts and Yordan Alvarez and Martin Maldonado drove in four runs apiece as Houston pummeled visiting Oakland.
Valdez (16-5) surrendered two runs on four hits and a walk while striking out seven in six innings to lower his season ERA to 2.57.
The Astros, runaway leaders in the American League West, lowered their magic number to clinch the division to one, with the second-place Seattle Mariners losing to the Los Angeles Angels.
White Sox 11, Tigers 5
Andrew Vaughn blasted his first career grand slam to cap a five-run outburst in the fifth inning and visiting Chicago defeated Detroit.
Eloy Jimenez had three hits, including a two-run home run, and drove in three runs. Gavin Sheets supplied two hits, two runs and two RBIs for Chicago. Tanner Banks (2-0), who pitched the last three innings and only allowed one run, was credited with the victory.
Willi Castro hit a two-run homer and Javier Baez had a solo shot for the Tigers. Detroit starter Drew Hutchison (2-9) was charged with six runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings.
