Captain America strikes again: Aaron Judge powers USA to WBC win over Mexico

HOUSTON — The joint was completely packed, fans roamed outside trying to get a sneak peek inside, with music blaring and the crowd ready to party into the night.

Well, a 6-foot-7 dude bigger than any bouncer, not only got past the red-white-and-green velvet ropes, but sucked the life out of the party until it was almost last call.

Simply, Aaron Judge stole the show Monday evening at Daikin Park.

The sellout crowd of 41,678 watched him hit and throw to lead USA to a 5-3 victory over Mexico, and all but guarantee the Americans a berth in the quarterfinals..

Judge’s heroics began in the third when Mexico threatened USA starter Paul Skenes for the only time in his four-inning outing. Mexico had Joey Ortiz on first base after second baseman Brice Turang’s error, and Jarren Duran hit a hard liner to right field.

While Ortiz raced towards third base, Judge snagged the ball on one hop, and threw a 92-mph laser to third baseman Alex Bregman, who tagged Ortiz for the inning-ending out.

Judge barely had time to acknowledge the cheers from his teammates when he stepped to the plate with Bryce Harper on first base. He belted a 2-and-1 slider from reliever Jesus Cruz the opposite way into the right-field seats.

Judge started his home run trot, pointed and gestured towards the USA bench, circling the bases. The blast kick-started the USA offense, and by the time the inning ended, the Americans had a 5-0 lead after 21-year-old Roman Anthony’s three-run homer, the youngest player to homer for USA in the WBC.

It turned out that USA would need every bit of that offensive outburst with Mexico refusing to go away. Duran of the Boston Red Sox hit two home runs to provide late-game drama. They threatened again in the ninth on Joey Maneses’ leadoff single, but Garrett Whitlock closed out the game with three consecutive strikeouts.

The Air Force Academy duo of Skenes and Griffin Jax kept Mexico’s offense in check during their two stints, delighting the Air Force baseball team, who was invited to stay an extra day in Texas after playing Baylor over the weekend. Skenes and Griffin gave them a night to remember.

Skenes, who spent two years at the academy before transferring to LSU, gave up just one hit in four shutout innings, striking out seven batters. The former cadet was so fired up that he threw 21 pitches registering at least 97-mph on the radar gun the first two innings. And Jax, the first Air Force Academy graduate to reach the major leagues, shut down Mexico’s last rally in the eighth by coming in and inducing Alejandro Kirk into an inning-ending double play.

“I had special conversations with both of them,” USA manager Mark DeRosa said. “Obviously, their process is a little bit different than the rest of the guys in the room, living that military background and going to school and attending Air Force.

“I know every guy in that room is proud to represent the United States of America. But the conversations with them were a little bit different, as far as wanting to represent every serviceman and woman who protects our freedom on a nightly basis. They’re thinking is a little bit different.”

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See energy and national pride overflow at World Baseball Classic

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See energy and national pride overflow at World Baseball Classic

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See energy and national pride overflow at World Baseball Classic

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See energy and national pride overflow at World Baseball Classic

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See energy and national pride overflow at World Baseball Classic

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See energy and national pride overflow at World Baseball Classic

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See energy and national pride overflow at World Baseball Classic

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See energy and national pride overflow at World Baseball Classic

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See energy and national pride overflow at World Baseball Classic

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See energy and national pride overflow at World Baseball Classic

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See energy and national pride overflow at World Baseball Classic

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See energy and national pride overflow at World Baseball Classic

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See energy and national pride overflow at World Baseball Classic

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See energy and national pride overflow at World Baseball Classic

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See energy and national pride overflow at World Baseball Classic

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See energy and national pride overflow at World Baseball Classic

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See energy and national pride overflow at World Baseball Classic

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See energy and national pride overflow at World Baseball Classic

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See energy and national pride overflow at World Baseball Classic

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See energy and national pride overflow at World Baseball Classic

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See energy and national pride overflow at World Baseball Classic

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See energy and national pride overflow at World Baseball Classic

And if it wasn’t the AFA duo shutting down Mexico, there was USA shortstop Bobby Witt to snuff it out, making two you-got-to-see-it-to-believe-it plays with throws from his knees.

Judge was so euphoric that when Witt came into the dugout after throwing out Nick Gonzales in the fifth inning, he got into his face, and yelled, “Are you kidding me?”

Team USA now sits atop Pool B with a 3-0 record, and can clinch the top seed with a victory Tuesday night over Italy. They will then have two full days off before they would play again at Daikin Field against Puerto Rico, Cuba or Canada.

And plenty of time for everyone to continue to extol the greatness of Judge, who has put this USA team on his back this tournament, with his teammates trying to hang around him as much as possible.

“Obviously, one of the best players to have played this game,” USA third baseman Alex Bregman said. “And I feel like he’s super knowledgeable about the swing, about the game of baseball in general. So definitely not taking this opportunity for granted, and trying to pick his brain as much as I possibly can about hitting or anything to do with the game of baseball.

“It’s been great.”

And, well, even more fun to watch.

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USA and Mexico compete in WBC showdown. Check out the competition.

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USA and Mexico compete in WBC showdown. Check out the competition.

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USA and Mexico compete in WBC showdown. Check out the competition.

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USA and Mexico compete in WBC showdown. Check out the competition.

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USA and Mexico compete in WBC showdown. Check out the competition.

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USA and Mexico compete in WBC showdown. Check out the competition.

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USA and Mexico compete in WBC showdown. Check out the competition.

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USA and Mexico compete in WBC showdown. Check out the competition.

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USA and Mexico compete in WBC showdown. Check out the competition.

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USA and Mexico compete in WBC showdown. Check out the competition.

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USA and Mexico compete in WBC showdown. Check out the competition.

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USA and Mexico compete in WBC showdown. Check out the competition.

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USA and Mexico compete in WBC showdown. Check out the competition.

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USA and Mexico compete in WBC showdown. Check out the competition.

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USA and Mexico compete in WBC showdown. Check out the competition.

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USA and Mexico compete in WBC showdown. Check out the competition.

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USA and Mexico compete in WBC showdown. Check out the competition.

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USA and Mexico compete in WBC showdown. Check out the competition.

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USA and Mexico compete in WBC showdown. Check out the competition.

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USA and Mexico compete in WBC showdown. Check out the competition.

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USA and Mexico compete in WBC showdown. Check out the competition.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Aaron Judge powers USA baseball to crucial WBC win over Mexico