Judge hits 1st of ASG's 10 HRs in AL victory

WASHINGTON -- Aaron Judge might not have defended his Home Run Derby crown this week at Nationals Park, but he gave the D.C. crowd a look at his prodigious power on Tuesday night.
And it came at the expense of one of the most popular players in town in the American League's 8-6, 10-inning victory over the National League.
Judge connected on a homer off NL starter Max Scherzer to lead off the second inning, giving the AL a 1-0 lead. Judge, who went 0-for-3 with a strikeout in his All-Star debut a year ago, launched a 95-mph fastball into the AL bullpen in left-center.
Although Judge may not have expected it, Justin Verlander did.
"It was kind of funny, actually," Judge said. "Before that happened, I was getting ready to go hit, and Verlander goes, 'I've got a really good feeling, man. I think you're gonna hit a homer this at-bat, so just get ready.' That first one I fouled off, was just like, there's no chance with the way Scherzer was throwing it. But I was able to be that second one. It was a pretty cool moment."

Judge wasn't the only Yankee involved in the play, either. Luis Severino -- who was warming up in the bullpen -- reached up and caught the ball on the fly.
• Sevy catches Judge's dinger
"I didn't know it was him," Severino said. "After I caught it, I saw he was running, but it was cool. He didn't get a hit last year. This year he got a ... homer. That's great. ... I wasn't [scared to catch the ball]. I'm a natural outfielder."
"Oh, that was the best part," Judge said. "It was meant to be. It was meant to go right to Sevy, and he caught it."
The home run was the first in an All-Star Game by a Yankee since 2003, when Jason Giambi went deep against Billy Wagner. It was also the first hit recorded by a Yankee in an All-Star Game since Derek Jeter went 2-for-2 in 2014, his final season. Mark Teixeira and Brett Gardner each went hitless in 2015, Carlos Beltran did not pick up a hit in his one at-bat in 2016, and Judge and Gary Sánchez went a combined 0-for-5 last year.
Judge drew a walk in his second plate appearance and grounded out to third in his final at-bat, in the sixth inning.
"To be a starter in this game and get the chance to get a hit, it was pretty cool," Judge said. "I was kicking myself last year, not getting a hit. So I just said, 'Hey, I gotta just make contact this year and get a base hit, and I'll be happy with it.'"
When the All-Star Game went into extra innings last year, Severino was ready to pitch the 11th, but the game ended before he had the chance, sending him home without seeing any action in his first Midsummer Classic. This year the Yankees ace was the first to come out of the bullpen, working a scoreless second inning, striking out Bryce Harper and Brandon Crawford.

"I felt great," Severino said. "I just got on the mound and pitched. Just coming here is something special that I will remember. ... The first batter got a double, but after that, everything was good. My pitches, the slider was there, and I was throwing my fastball on the corner."
Aroldis Chapman and Gleyber Torres, though All-Stars, were spectators on Tuesday night, as they both did not participate due to left knee tendinitis and a right hip strain, respectively. This was Chapman's fifth All-Star election, while Torres experienced the festivities for the first time after making his Major League debut on April 22.
"No, no," Torres said when asked if he thought he'd be an All-Star this early in his career. "I just had one goal, and that was to play in the big leagues. Playing in the All-Star Game is pretty awesome. I'm just trying to enjoy the moment."
Although he couldn't participate, Torres enjoyed watching his first T-Mobile Home Run Derby on Monday, taking ground balls with Houston's Jose Altuve and making his first appearance on the Red Carpet with his wife and family.
"I knew him a little bit, but never talked to him in person, but now I have a better relationship," Torres said of Altuve. "I'm just trying to enjoy the moment and learn from the other players."