Baseball

Imanaga Strikes out Aaron Judge Twice, Pitches 7 Innings as Cubs Beat Yankees 4-1

The Associated Press

11:18 JST, July 14, 2025

NEW YORK (AP) — Shota Imanaga struck out Aaron Judge twice while pitching seven sparkling innings, leading the Chicago Cubs to a 4-1 victory over the New York Yankees on Sunday.

In his fourth start since returning from a strained left hamstring, Imanaga (6-3) allowed a homer to Giancarlo Stanton in the second and a single to Austin Wells in the seventh. He struck out six and walked one.

Michael Busch and Dansby Swanson homered for the Cubs, who headed into the All-Star break with 57 wins, their most since 2008. Daniel Palencia handled the ninth for his 12th save, finishing a two-hitter.

Stanton hit his 433rd career homer as the Yankees lost their second straight following a five-game winning streak. Judge struck out twice on splitters, a day after hitting his 350th career homer.

Cody Bellinger went 0 for 3 on his 30th birthday and had a career-high 17-game hitting streak stopped. He was traded from Chicago to New York in December.

Busch connected on Will Warren’s second pitch in his first career plate appearance in the leadoff spot. Swanson made it 3-1 with a tiebreaking two-run drive off Ian Hamilton in the sixth.

Pete Crow-Armstrong added an RBI infield single that scored Seiya Suzuki from second in the seventh when shortstop Anthony Volpe’s throw to first baseman Paul Goldschmidt bounced.

Warren (6-5) permitted two runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Key moment

Carson Kelly opened the sixth with a double over rookie left fielder Jasson Domínguez. After Ian Happ bounced to second, Swanson greeted Hamilton with a drive into the seats in left.

Key stat

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Busch became the first Cub to homer in his first career plate appearance as a leadoff hitter since Willson Conteras on June 26, 2017, against Washington.