NEW YORK — Aaron Judge hit a two-run homer in the first inning to become the fifth player with three 50-homer seasons and homered again in the seventh inning as the New York Yankees beat the Colorado Rockies 10-3 on Sunday.
Judge reached 50 in New York’s 131st game. Two years ago, when he reached 62 to break Roger Maris’ single-season American League record, Judge reached 50 in the Yankees’ 129th game.
After failing to homer for the fifth straight game Saturday, Judge reached the milestone when he lined an 0-2 changeup from Austin Gomber (4-9) into the Colorado bullpen over 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 each had four 50-homer seasons, while Rodriguez had two seasons with Texas and another with the Yankees in 2007.
“It’s a great accomplishment, but there’s still a lot more work to be done,” Judge said. “This team has a big mission ahead of it and we’re all focused on it right now.”
It was also Judge’s 18th first-inning homer this season, tying Rodriguez (2001) for the single-season record in an opening inning, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Judge is on pace to hit 63 home runs (he’s averaging one every nine at-bats).
“We’re running out of superlatives for what we’re seeing, especially right now when hitting is tough,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “It’s fun to watch him, first of all who he is and the teammate he is, but also his desire and obsession to get a little bit better every year. And that’s what we’re seeing.”
After he flied out in the second inning and walked in the fifth, Judge connected on a first-pitch fastball from rookie Jeff Criswell into the right-field seats for his 51st home run. After crossing the plate and being greeted by his teammates, Judge received a final salute.
“I didn’t want to come out until Boonie told me to. He looked at me and nodded, so I came out,” Judge said. “The fans were excited. We had a lull in the game. We scored and had the lead, but they came back. They were down for a while and when we got a couple runs on, the fans were excited.”
Judge’s second homer 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 homers.
“That was a trifecta,” Boone said.
It was the fourth time the powerful trio homered in the same game this season and the second time in two weeks.
“I know how much power those guys have, I’m the one who starts everything,” Soto said with a laugh. “I know they can do it, very quickly and very easily.”
Gleyber Torres scored on Judge’s first homer and hit a three-run shot in the eighth.
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.
“He’s amazing,” Stanton said. “He does something special every day.”
It was the Yankees captain’s 39th career multi-homer game and fifth this season. Judge missed a chance to hit a third when he grounded out to end the eighth.
Torres and Soto also had RBI singles in the second before Judge saw six straight curveballs and flew out with two on.
Charlie Blackmon scored on a force out in the first inning when third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. committed two errors. Rookie Drew Romo hit 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 the kid is the best player in the league,” Gomber said of Judge.