It was a scene straight out of a baseball movie, and Ron Washington’s laughter was the soundtrack. In Wednesday night’s nail-biter between the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Angels, Aaron Judge, who’s been on fire all season, got intentionally walked not once, but twice in his first two at-bats. After the second walk loaded the bases in the first inning, Judge turned to the Angels’ dugout, tipped his cap, and Washington, the Angels’ manager, lost it—laughing so hard it became the viral moment of the night. It was a light-hearted break in a game defined by dominant pitching, but it perfectly captured the respect and rivalry that makes baseball so special.
Let’s talk about that pitching, though. Clarke Schmidt was the star of the show for the Yankees, going six scoreless innings and striking out five. The Angels couldn’t touch him, and the bullpen—Ian Hamilton, Tim Hill, and Mark Leiter Jr.—picked up where he left off, combining for three hitless innings to slam the door shut. Leiter notched his second save of the season, and it was a masterclass in shutting down a lineup. The Yankees scored their only run in the first, ironically right after Judge’s second walk, thanks to Anthony Volpe’s sacrifice fly. It was just enough to secure a 1-0 win, marking New York’s fifth straight victory and their second consecutive series sweep. With a 3.25 ERA in 55 games, the Yankees’ pitching staff is humming, and they’re not just good—they’re one of the best in MLB.
This win sets the stage for a massive showdown against the Los Angeles Dodgers, a team that’s been dominating the NL West. The Yankees are rolling, and with Judge’s hot streak—.395 batting average, 18 home runs, 47 RBI, and a .488 on-base percentage entering the game—they’re a force to be reckoned with. Washington’s laughter might have been the highlight, but it’s the Yankees’ pitching that’s stealing the show. For Angels fans, it’s a tough pill to swallow, but for Yankee faithful, it’s another chapter in what’s shaping up to be a special season. Buckle up, because baseball doesn’t get much better than this.
