NEW YORK – The Yankees made a stunning comeback to defeat the Pirates on Tuesday. However, it was Aaron Judge who hogged all the limelight with his 60th home run of the season. The New York slugger is one homer away to equal Roger Maris’ 61-year AL record.
After his historic entry to the 60-homer club, Judge was in the dugout. Fans chanted his name wanting him to come out and take a bow.
He didn’t answer at first.
In the ninth inning of Tuesday’s game, the Yankees were still behind by four runs. Later Judge told that he was not in favor of doing it, as the Yankees were behind the Pirates.
Even Anthony Rizzo told plate umpire Dan Bellino, “I don’t know if he’s going to take a curtain call.”
However, Judge popped out of the dugout for a moment and gave a small wave with his helmet. He did this in a way that reminded many of Roger Maris after he hit his record-setting 61st home run in 1961.
Giancarlo Stanton‘s walk-off grand slam put an end to the Yankees’ amazing comeback in the ninth inning.
According to Nestor Cortes, the team thought that “something special was going to happen” after Judge tied Babe Ruth’s 60-homer season of 1927 and moved to one away from Maris’ single-season franchise and AL records.
Aaron Judge makes home run history
In the Yankees’ 147th game of the season, Judge became the third Yankee to hit 60 home runs.
He is only the sixth player in MLB history to hit at least 60 home runs in a season, a figure that was done only nine times. He may reach 65 homers this season. Barry Bonds’ record of 73 home runs in 2001 and Mark McGwire’s 70 home runs in 1998 will still remain ahead of him.
Judge’s ninth-inning solo shot off Pirates’ right-hander Wil Crowe cut the Pirates’ lead to 8-5.
And Judge’s hit, which was thought to have gone 430 feet, started an amazing comeback.
Giancarlo Stanton won it for the Yankees with a walk-off grand slam, which gave them a 9-8 win.
Stanton hadn’t hit a home run since September 11. During that time, he went 2-for-25 and struck out 15 times, including three on Tuesday night.
A visibly happy Aaron Boone predicted before the game:
“I would imagine this week is going to be pretty electric at the stadium. And with Judge also aiming for an AL Triple Crown, I’ve got to believe it’s right there, on the short list of (being) one of the all-time best seasons, Boone said. (He’s) not just a slugging DH.”
Will Aaron Judge win the first Triple Crown sin 2012?
