Yankees sweep Royals as Aaron Judge hits go-ahead homer, Cody Bellinger makes game-saving catch

The pitch was a thigh-high sinker.

That did not sink.

Until it reached the Yankees’ bullpen.

On a night in which Clarke Schmidt made his 2025 debut, it was Aaron Judge who, once again, provided another moment as his first home run in 10 games powered the Yankees to a 4-3 win over the Royals Wednesday at Yankee Stadium.

“He does it all,” a grinning Schmidt said of Judge. “Captain America.”

Mark Leiter Jr. (2-1) went 1 1⁄3 innings in relief for the win and Fernando Cruz pitched two innings to record his first career save. Cruz was aided by Cody Bellinger, who made a game-ending diving catch in right with the tying run on second, robbing MJ Melendez of a hit.

“That might be my first game-saving catch,” Bellinger said. “That feels really good.”

Leading off the bottom of the seventh, Judge drilled reliever John Schreiber’s 93-mph offering for his seventh home run of the season.

The solo shot broke a 3-3 tie and allowed the Yankees (11-7) to sweep the three-game series against the Royals (8-11).

Schreiber (1-1) took the loss.

“Just try to get on base,” said Judge, when asked about his approach before the at-bat. He finished 3-for-3 and is hitting .409. “Just hit the ball and try to get to second base.”

Judge’s homer — his first since April 4 — capped a night in which Schmidt went 5 2⁄3 innings and was solid in his first start after missing the beginning of the season with right shoulder fatigue.

“Really happy with being able to go that deep in the game and help the bullpen out,” Schmidt said.

Schmidt fell behind 1-0 after a 21-pitch first inning in which he allowed an RBI single to Salvador Perez that scored Bobby Witt Jr. before getting Maikel Garcia to fly out to Bellinger and striking out Melendez with an 85-mph knuckle curve to end the threat.

The Yankees loaded the bases with one out in the bottom half of the inning but could not capitalize as starter Kris Bubic, who allowed three runs in 5 1⁄3 innings, struck out Anthony Volpe before inducing Austin Wells to pop out.

Schmidt then settled in, throwing only 24 pitches in the next three innings. Which allowed his teammates to give him some run support.

Volpe laced a two-out, two-run double that scored Judge and Jazz Chisholm Jr. in the bottom of the third to put the Yankees ahead 2-1.

One inning later, Bellinger’s two-out RBI double scored Oswald Peraza to extend the lead to 3-1.

Schmidt ran into trouble in the fifth.

Drew Waters led off the inning with a single and scored on Kyle Isbel’s one-out RBI triple. The next batter, Jonathan India, drove in Isbel with an RBI groundout before Schmidt got Witt to fly out to Jasson Dominguez to end the inning. But the Royals had tied the game at 3-3.

Schmidt induced Vinnie Pasquantino and Perez to ground out to start the sixth before walking Garcia, which prompted Aaron Boone to replace him with Leiter.

In all, Schmidt threw 73 pitches, 46 for strikes. He allowed three runs on four hits, struck out two and walked two.

“I knew that I didn’t have a ton of pitches,” Schmidt said. “My mentality going into it was to fill the strike zone.”

Notes & quotes: Before the game, Boone said Luis Gil’s strained right lat had not healed to the point where the reigning AL Rookie of the Year could begin throwing. Gil recently had an MRI that showed the lat was healing but had not reached the “checkmark,” according to Boone, that would allow him to start throwing. “We think we need another 10 days. He’ll probably start in about 10 days, his throwing program,” said Boone . . . Jonathan Loaisiga threw live batting practice and Boone said the reliever “is in a good spot. He’s got a couple more before he starts his rehab. He’ll travel with us to Tampa so he’ll throw another live this weekend and another one early next week and then be ready to start a rehab assignment. He’s been in a good place for a while. Excited about where he’s at.” . . . Boone said “live at-bats could be in play here pretty soon,” for Giancarlo Stanton . . . The paid attendance was 43,720. Knicks swingman Josh Hart was in the crowd.