Yankees vs. Angels Showdown: Aaron Judge’s Late Homer Caps Dramatic 6-5 Comeback in Anaheim

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The New York Yankees kept their May momentum rolling with a convincing 5-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night, opening a seven-game West Coast swing in style. Anthony Volpe delivered the decisive blow, slashing a bases-clearing double in the fourth inning that flipped a 1-0 deficit into a 4-1 Yankee lead. The rookie shortstop is now 3-for-9 with 10 RBI in bases-loaded situations this season, underscoring his knack for timely hitting. While Volpe powered the offense, left-hander Ryan Yarbrough silenced Anaheim’s bats. The former Dodger scattered two hits over six frames, fanning seven and retiring 13 of the final 14 hitters he faced. Yarbrough owns a sparkling 2.25 ERA across his last four starts and has yet to allow more than two runs in any of them. Zach Neto supplied the lone Angels highlight, launching a 440-foot leadoff homer—his fourth first-pitch blast this month and the longest of his young career. After that shot, Los Angeles managed just three baserunners the rest of the night. Key moment Jack Kochanowicz breezed through the first three innings, but New York’s lineup flipped the script in the fourth: consecutive singles from Juan Soto, Aaron Judge and Alex Verdugo, a four-pitch walk to Cody Bellinger, then Volpe’s rope into the left-center gap. By inning’s end, the Yankees had sent nine men to the plate and seized permanent control. Standings snapshot • Yankees: 33-20, riding a 9-1 surge to sit atop the AL East. • Angels: 25-28, now four and a half games back in the tight AL West after a three-game skid. Pitching matchup tonight Game 2 features Yankees southpaw Carlos Rodón (6-3, 2.88 ERA) against veteran lefty Tyler Anderson (2-1, 3.60 ERA). First pitch is set for 9:38 p.m. ET at Angel Stadium. How to watch and stream The “Yankees vs Angels” clash will be televised on MLB Network and available for streaming on MLB.TV and the YES App in New York. Local radio: WFAN 660/101.9 FM (NYY) and KLAA 830 AM (LAA). Ticket hot streak With Aaron Judge, Juan Soto and Mike Trout sharing the same field, secondary-market prices remain strong. Seats in the lower bowl for Tuesday’s matchup are trending 18 percent above the season average, but upper-deck options can still be found for under $25 on Ticketmaster and SeatGeek. Why this series matters • Playoff positioning: New York is chasing home-field advantage in October. • Angels audition: Shohei Ohtani’s departure opened a power vacuum; the front office is evaluating whether to buy or sell at the deadline. • Star power: Judge, Soto, Trout and Volpe headline a marketing dream that consistently drives national search interest for “Yankees vs Angels live stream” and “Yankees at Angel Stadium tickets.” Historical edge The Yankees hold a 378-311 all-time advantage over the Angels, including a 6-1 mark last season. New York has won 12 of the last 15 meetings in Anaheim, reinforcing its recent dominance in this interdivisional matchup. Looking ahead The clubs wrap up the three-game set Wednesday before a quick turnaround to Yankee Stadium in mid-June for a four-game rematch. With both rotations lining up ace-versus-ace showdowns, expect more marquee moments—and more surging search traffic—as the rivalry heats up in the dog days of summer.