CHICAGO (AP) - The Chicago White Sox managed to quiet Aaron Judge on Thursday night, although there was a hush over all the New York Yankees after a gut-wrenching first inning.
Following a frightening moment for Yankees outfielder Dustin Fowler in his major league debut, Melky Cabrera and David Robertson combined to foil Judge, and Chicago beat New York 4-3 on Thursday night.
Fowler left to have season-ending surgery on his right knee after a crash into a wall. The 22-year-old started the game in right field and slammed into the short sidewall near the corner trying to catch Jose Abreu’s foul ball with one out in the first inning. Fowler calmly tried to stand and walk after hitting the wall, but his right leg buckled twice before he sat down on the warning track and waited for help.
Fowler had an open rupture of the patellar tendon in his right knee, the Yankees said, and had surgery at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. Manager Joe Girardi estimated it would be at least six months before Fowler was recovered.
The rookie was due up for his first major league plate appearance in the second inning.
“It’s one of the worst things I’ve seen on a baseball field,” left fielder Brett Gardner said. “I just can’t imagine a worse scenario for him.
“It’s heartbreaking. He’s a good kid and a really, really good player with a bright future.”
The injury-riddled Yankees are down yet another man after losing for the 12th time in 16 games and falling a game behind first-place Boston in the AL East.
“We’ve been through a lot in the past 10 days or so, and today was probably one of the tougher nights,” Girardi said.
Cabrera robbed Judge of what would have been his major league-leading 28th homer in the fifth inning. Cabrera leapt at the wall, reeled in the high drive and then momentarily pretended he hadn’t caught it before pulling the ball from his glove.
“I had a very good read on that ball,” Cabrera said. “I jumped at the precise moment.”
Robertson halted Judge in the ninth, striking out the slugger with Gardner at first base to cap his 12th save.
Judge finished 0 for 2 with three walks, one intentional.
“The way he’s swinging, I understand why they did it,” Girardi said.
White Sox right-hander James Shields (2-1) pitched into the seventh inning for his longest outing this season. He allowed three runs - two earned - and five hits in 6 1/3 innings in his third start since spending two months on the disabled list with a strained right lat.
“I felt good for the most part,” Shields said. “I was a little inconsistent throughout the game, but I made pitches when I needed to.”
Willy Garcia had two hits and two RBIs, Abreu had two doubles and Omar Narvaez drove in a run to help the AL-worst White Sox win for the third time in 11 games. The game was delayed by rain for nearly three hours, with the first pitch thrown at 10 p.m.
Austin Romine and Ronald Torreyes drove in runs for New York.
Yankees starter Luis Cessa (0-3) allowed four runs, two earned, in 4 2/3 innings in his third start in place of injured CC Sabathia, who may be close to returning.
FOWLER CARTED OFF
The training staff attended to Fowler with Girardi and distraught teammates looking on. After speaking briefly with Fowler, a dismayed Girardi leaned back and put both hands on his face, then called for a cart.
The rookie had his right leg stabilized, was lifted onto a cart and taken off the field. He was replaced by Rob Refsnyder.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Yankees: 1B Tyler Austin, brought up Saturday to replace Chris Carter, was put on the 10-day disabled list with a high grade right hamstring strain.
White Sox: RF Avisail Garcia is day-to-day with left knee inflammation. Garcia leads the White Sox with .318 average, has 11 homers and 51 RBIs. He was hurt sliding back to first on a pickoff attempt in the rain on Wednesday. … RHP Jake Petricka was placed on the 10-day DL with a right elbow strain, and RHP Juan Minaya was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte.
UP NEXT
Yankees: Send RHP Michael Pineda (7-4, 4.12) to the mound against RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (7-1, 2.53) as they open a weekend series at ML-leading Houston. Pineda is coming off a loss against Texas last Sunday when he lasted just four innings and allowed seven runs.
White Sox: RHP Mike Pelfry (3-6, 3.73) will face Texas’ Austin Bibens-Dirkx (3-0, 3.68) to open a three-game set. Pelfry is 3-2 with a 2.52 ERA in his last seven starts.
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