NEW YORK — Aaron Judge hit a two-run home run in the first inning to become the fifth player to have three 50-homer seasons. He hit another home run in the seventh inning to lead the New York Yankees to a 10-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Sunday.
Judge reached 50 in New York’s 131st game. Two years ago, when he hit 62 to break Roger Maris’ single-season AL record, Judge reached 50 in the Yankees’ 129th game.
After going home for the fifth straight game on Saturday, Judge reached a milestone when he hit an 0-2 changeup off Austin Gomber (4-9) and drove the ball into the Colorado bullpen, past the left-center field fence, to give the Yankees a 2-1 lead.
Judge joined Babe Ruth, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and Alex Rodriguez as the only players with three 50-homer seasons. Ruth, McGwire and Sosa had four 50-homer seasons, while Rodriguez had two with Texas and another with the Yankees in 2007.
“A great achievement, but there’s more to be done,” Judge said. “This team has a big mission ahead of it and that’s what we’re all focused on right now.”
It was also Judge’s 18th first-inning home run this season, tying Rodriguez’s (2001) single-season record for most hit in a leadoff inning, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Judge is on track for 63 home runs, an average of one every nine plate appearances.
“We’re running out of superlatives for what we’re seeing, especially in this day and age where it’s tough to score,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “It’s just fun to watch him, first of all who he is and the teammate that he is, but then just his desire and obsession to get better every year. And that’s what we’re seeing.”
After drawing a flyout in the second and a walk in the fifth, Judge hit a first-pitch fastball from rookie Jeff Criswell to the right field seats for his 51st home run. After crossing the plate and being greeted by teammates, Judge took the go-ahead shot.
“I didn’t want to come out until Boonie told me. He kind of gave me a look and a nod, so I went out there,” Judge said. “The fans are pumped up. We kind of had a meltdown in the game. We scored, had the lead, they kind of came back. They were down by one for a while and for us to explode out there for a couple runs, the fans were pumped up.”
Judge’s second home run came between solo shots by Juan Soto and Giancarlo Stanton. It was the first time since Sept. 17, 2020, against Toronto that the Yankees had hit three consecutive home runs.
“That was a trinity,” Boone said.
It was the fourth time this season that the powerhouse trio hit a home run in the same game, and the second time in two weeks.
“I know how much power those guys have, I have to be the one to start everything,” Soto said with a laugh. “I know they can do it, really fast and really easy.”
Gleyber Torres scored Judge’s first home run and sparked a three-run drive in the eighth inning.
Judge homered for the seventh time in his last six games and for the 10th time in 13 games. Judge also has 47 homers in his last 102 games.
“It’s unreal,” Stanton said. “He does something special every day.”
It was the Yankee captain’s 39th multi-homer game and fifth this season. Judge missed a chance for a third homer when he grounded out to end the eighth inning.
Torres and Soto also hit RBI singles in the second inning before Judge faced six curveballs in a row and was out with two on base.
Charlie Blackmon scored on a forceout in the first when third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. committed two errors. Rookie Drew Romo had an RBI single and Ryan McMahon hit an RBI double in the fifth.
New York starter Marcus Stroman (9-6) allowed three runs and five hits in five innings.
Gomber allowed four runs and six hits in six innings.
“That’s why he’s the best player in the league,” Gomber said of Judge.
