Have mercy, Judge: MVP's latest blast bounces off ambulance

SAN FRANCISCO – Aaron Judge has hit balls that have landed in upper decks, across concourses and out of ballparks entirely. As the Yankees completed a season-opening sweep on Saturday, the captain found a new target: an ambulance.

Judge’s second home run in as many games helped to power a 3-1 victory over the Giants, a fifth-inning drive off Ryan Borucki that struck an emergency vehicle parked beyond the left-field wall at Oracle Park.

“One thing from the past couple of years we’ve struggled at was finishing series and sweeping series,” Judge said. “Pregame, we talked about it: ‘Hey, we’ve got to close out a series.’ That’s what’s going to make the difference between winning the division or ending up tied. Every game matters.”

Ben Rice pounded a two-run double off Tyler Mahle as the Yankees opened the season 3-0 for the third consecutive year. Aaron Boone’s 700th regular-season managerial victory capped an opening act that couldn’t have gone much better for the visitors.

“Wins are always hard to come by. You take them when you can get them,” said Boone, the seventh Yankees skipper to reach the plateau. “I love that we played well, but it’s March.”

Judge had two hits in the series, and they both left the yard. It marked a return to the place the American League’s reigning Most Valuable Player called home while growing up as a Giants fan in the Bay Area.

Saturday’s drive, a solo shot on a 90 mph cutter, came off Judge’s bat at 102.1 mph and was calculated to travel 383 feet, according to Statcast.

It was Judge’s fifth career homer at Oracle Park, where he’s hitting .348 (8-for-23) with nine RBIs in six career games. It was also Judge’s 370th career home run, tying Gil Hodges for 83rd place all time.

“A lot of friends, a lot of families – a lot of boos,” Judge said. “But I love it. This is a ballpark I grew up coming to, watching a lot of great players come through here. So to get a chance to step out on that field and soak up the atmosphere, that was the coolest thing for me.”

Yankees pitchers held San Francisco scoreless through the series’ first 20 innings, and though Will Warren said he felt “some jitters” in getting through 4 1/3 frames, the damage was limited to Matt Chapman’s run-scoring single.

“My command was a little wonky today,” Warren said. “They did a good job of fouling stuff off and making me work. That drove the pitch count up, but overall, we got after it and I only gave up one run.”

As it did behind Max Fried and Cam Schlittler in the first two contests, the bullpen shone, helped by defenders who turned four inning-ending double plays.

Taking over after Brent Headrick notched two outs, Jake Bird hurled 1 2/3 innings, wriggling free of a first-and-third, none-out jam in the sixth by striking out Willy Adames and inducing Harrison Bader to ground into a twin killing.

Bird struggled after being acquired at the Trade Deadline last year, but the Yankees believe he can be a reliable contributor this season.

“I just feel really good,” Bird said. “It’s good to have a fresh start to go back at it. These guys with the Yankees are all really smart, and they’ve given me a ton of good stuff.”

San Francisco threatened in the ninth against David Bednar. Austin Wells popped out of his crouch, ready to toss what he believed to be an inning-opening strikeout around the horn.

Heliot Ramos successfully initiated an ABS challenge that flipped the count. One pitch later, Ramos walked, and Adames singled to bring the potential winning run to home plate.

Bednar struck out Bader and induced Patrick Bailey to hit into a game-ending double play, with shortstop José Caballero and second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. combining on a slick turn.

“You can’t get enough of those,” Rice said. “I’m just happy to be on the end of each one of those and finish it off. Jazz and Cabby were doing their thing today, and shout-out to the pitchers for getting those ground balls.”

That amplified what Judge said about the staff – if the bats just provide a run or two, its arms can take care of the rest.

“It was incredible – one run in three games,” Judge said. “Especially an opening series, you never know what’s happening. Guys are pumped up, and it’s usually high-scoring games. Our starting rotation came out there and attacked the zone and really just dictated the ballgames.”