Aaron Judge Yankees pissed at hit by pitch in high-stakes AL East battle

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Whenever two of the best teams in baseball play in the same division, their battles have that much higher stakes.  That heightened energy was felt Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium, especially after in the third inning of .  The stoic Judge marched halfway between Orioles starter Albert Suarez and first base while shaking his head.  Aaron Judge was not happy with the pitch that hit him on the hand.  Charles Wenzelberg/New Georges Niang Jersey  York Post  Definitely pi sed, Judge said about the pitch. There was a couple balls up and in. Its part of it. They like to throw in.  After wincing but staying in to play center field, Judge left the game in the fourth inning, with Trent Grisham hitting in place of the Yankees captain.  Explore More  Judge said afterward that X-rays and a CT scan both came back negative, allowing the Yankees and their fans to exhale.  Nonethele s, Judges teammates werent happy with Suarezs pitch location.  Our captain got hit. We dont take what happened lightly, outfielder Alex Verdugo said. Were none too pleased about it.  However, the Orioles claimed the incident was unintentional.  Judge initially stayed in the game but was eventually removed.  JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST  I was trying to go up and in, and I gue s it was too much, Suarez said. I did it before. He fouled it off. I was trying to go in again and happened to hit him.  Then, in the bottom of the fifth inning, second baseman Gleyber Torres was also hit in the hand by reliever Keegan Akin.  The Yankees dugout collectively rose to the top step, and several players yelled angrily in Baltimores direction.  The tension was palpable throughout the rest of the night, including in the sixth inning, when starter Nestor Cortes brushed Os star Gunnar Henderson off the plate with a high-and-tight fastball.  Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Albert Suarez said the pitch that hit Judge was not intentional.  USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con  Pitchers been trying to work up and in recently. Just [a] competitive pitch, Henderson said. I didnt really think anything of it.  Courtesy of their series-opening victory, the Yankees moved to 51-24 and grew their division lead to 2 / games.  With two more high-stakes games left between the two AL powerhouses this week  including reigning Cy Young Award winner  the spotlight likely wont get any dimmer, something which the Yankees recognize.  Guys were talking about it right when I showed up  we wanted to beat these guys, said first baseman Tuesday. First game done with, now we got to take the series.  Derrick Favors Jersey