New York — Aaron Judge played a pivotal role in leading the New York Yankees to a much-needed 6-4 victory over the New York Mets, breaking a six-game losing streak. Judge’s performance at Citi Field included a crucial two-run home run in the fifth inning, propelling the Yankees to a 5-0 lead.
The home run, Judge’s 33rd of the season, came on an 83-mph changeup from pitcher Max Fried and sailed 388 feet to left-center field. This marked the 11th time this season that Judge has hit a home run on the first pitch, surpassing his own career high. Notably, he hit 31 homers through the first 90 games of the 2022 season when he set the American League record.
With his latest achievement, Judge joins an elite group of Yankees, including Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, and Roger Maris, as one of the few to hit 33 or more home runs in the first 90 games of a season. However, Judge admitted he wasn’t certain that the ball would leave the park immediately after making contact.
“I knew it was going to be a hit; I just didn’t know where it was going,” Judge said after the game. “Once you hit it, your job is to be a base runner and make the best read. I was happy it went over so we could add two more runs.”
In addition to his offensive contributions, Judge made a key defensive play in the sixth inning as the Mets threatened to tie the game. With two outs and the tying run on third base, Judge made an impressive diving catch on a line drive from Starling Marte, preventing the Mets from scoring further.
“That was another big play in the course of the game,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “It seemed like they were pressuring us there late. But yeah, I mean, those are a handful of plays.”
Beyond the home run and defensive efforts, Judge also contributed a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning, driving in Paul Goldschmidt and extending the Yankees’ lead to 6-4. He wrapped up the day with three RBIs and one strikeout.
Throughout a challenging stretch where the Yankees had lost 22 of their last 28 games leading up to this match, Judge has remained a consistent offensive threat. Over that span, he has maintained a hitting average of .290, collecting 11 homers and 21 RBIs, along with an impressive 1.093 OPS.
The Yankees will look to build on this victory as they move forward in the season, with Judge leading the charge.
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