New York Yankees 8-3 Blue Jays
Aaron Judge continued his power surge with his MLB-leading 41st home run, helping the New York Yankees secure an 8-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday. The Yankees’ offensive outburst also featured two-run homers from Anthony Volpe and Trent Grisham, providing plenty of support for starting pitcher Carlos Rodon.
How it happened
Aaron Judge’s 426-foot blast in the first inning gave the Yankees an early lead and tied him with Babe Ruth for the franchise record of 16 first-inning home runs in a season.
Aaron Judge‘s performance also matched him with Ruth’s 1927 season, with only Alex Rodriguez and Mark McGwire having hit more first-inning homers in a single season.
Carlos Rodon (12-7) delivered a strong performance, striking out eight and allowing only three runs on three hits over 5.1 innings. Rodón’s fastball was particularly effective, maxing out at 99.6 mph and generating 13 swings and misses. This victory marked Rodón’s third consecutive win after struggling earlier in the season.
The Yankees’ offense kept the pressure on with Volpe adding a two-run homer in the fifth inning and an RBI single later in the game. Grisham’s second-inning homer off José Berríos (9-9) contributed to the Yankees’ early lead. Austin Wells also chipped in with an RBI single in the eighth to round out the scoring.
Despite a solo homer by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the first inning for Toronto, the Yankees maintained control throughout the game. Guerrero, who has been on a hot streak, finished a triple shy of the cycle.
Gleyber Torres returned to the lineup after being benched in the previous game for not hustling on a long single. Torres went 1-for-4 with a walk and scored on Volpe’s home run.
Roster
Up next
The Yankees have now won six of their last seven games and will aim to win their third consecutive series in the finale on Sunday. Yankees ace Gerrit Cole (3-2, 5.40 ERA) is expected to return to the mound after missing his last start due to body fatigue. Toronto will counter with rookie Yariel Rodríguez (1-4, 4.31 ERA).
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