Aaron Judge hit his 51st home run of the season to extend his major league lead and help the New York Yankees to a 7-4 win against the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night in Anaheim, Calif.
Judge was 3-for-5 overall with three RBIs and two runs scored.
Andrew Benintendi and Anthony Rizzo also homered for the Yankees, who ended a three-game losing streak.
New York starting pitcher Jameson Taillon was hit by a comebacker and the right-hander left after the second inning because of a right forearm contusion. He allowed two runs and two hits with two strikeouts and no walks.
Greg Weissert (1-0) retired all six batters he faced to earn his first MLB win in his third appearance.
Max Stassi and Mike Ford homered and Shohei Ohtani had two hits for the Angels, who came in on a four-game winning streak, their longest since winning a season-high six in a row from April 24-29.
Angels right-hander Mike Mayers (1-1) allowed seven runs (five earned) and eight hits in four innings. He struck out four and walked two.
Judge gave the Yankees some breathing room in the fourth inning when he belted a three-run homer into the right-center field seats off Mayers for a 7-2 lead.
Judge needs 10 home runs to tie Roger Maris for the most home runs in a season by a Yankees player.
Mayers also gave up solo home runs in each of the first two innings to Benintendi and Rizzo to fall behind 2-0.
Taillon got the first two outs in the second before Ford dropped a single into right-center field and Stassi lifted a two-run homer to right center to tie the game 2-2 in the second inning.
Magneuris Sierra then hit a line drive that caromed off the back of Taillon’s forearm and went to second baseman DJ LeMahieu, who threw to first to end the inning.
Taillon left the field with his right arm dangling and immediately went into the clubhouse.
The Yankees scored two unearned runs in the third to move ahead 4-2 and Weissert replaced Taillon in the bottom half of the inning.
After Judge homered for the second consecutive game to extend the lead to five, Ford also homered for the second straight night to make it 7-3.
Taylor Ward dropped a two-out RBI single into right center in the ninth for the 7-4 final.
–Field Level Media