Aaron Judge, Yankees continue to hit home runs in opening series
NEW YORK - If the New York Yankees played only in the first inning, it would be fine with them.
The Bronx Bombers continued their assault on the baseball in the opening frame, as reigning American League MVP Aaron Judge made his presence felt in a hurry in the finale of a three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday.
After Paul Goldschmidt singled in the bottom of the first, Judge deposited an 89-mph fastball from Brewers starter Aaron Civale 410 feet into the left field seats to give New York a 2-1 lead. Designated hitter Ben Rice added a solo shot in the second. Jazz Chisholm hit a solo shot in the third and another in the seventh.
That's 15 total home runs for the Bronx Bombers − tying the Major League record in their first three games of the season.
Judge is the first Yankees player with four homers through the first three games. He now has 11 RBI on the season.
The first-inning onslaught started on Opening Day when lead-off batter, catcher Austin Wells, crushed the third pitch he saw into right-center field seats. New York went on to win 4-2.
The Yankees hit four first-inning home runs off former teammate Nestor Cortes on Saturday en route to a 20-9 drubbing. They added five more long balls during the game for a team-record nine, one short of the major league record.
It was also the first time in MLB history that the first six players in a lineup each hit a home run in a single game.