Aaron Judge became the first player in team history with multiple three-homer games in the same season, and the New York Yankees cruised to a 7-1 victory over the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night.
Judge hit a three-run homer in the third inning and a two-run home run in the fifth off Arizona rookie starter Brandon Pfaadt (2-9). He got his third homer with a solo shot off Slade Cecconi in the seventh.
It was Judge’s second career three-homer game. He also went deep three times on Aug. 23 against Washington when the Yankees stopped their first nine-game losing streak since 1982.
Judge went 4-for-4 and tied a career-high with six RBIs.
The Diamondbacks (81-73) saw their five-game winning streak stopped, and their lead over the Cubs reduced to one game for the second of three National League wild card spots.
Trying to avoid their first losing season since going 76-86 in 1992 during Buck Showalter’s first season as manager, the Yankees moved two games over .500 to 78-76.
Judge’s first homer gave the Yankees a 3-0 lead. Two batters after Pfaadt committed an error by misplaying Oswald Peraza’s comebacker, Judge lifted a first pitch sinker into the New York bullpen in right-center.
The Yankees held a 4-0 lead following Estevan Florial’s RBI double off the left field wall, when Judge drove a fastball into the right field seats for his second.
The reigning AL MVP gave the Yankees a 7-0 lead by lining a pitch into the right field second deck. After reaching the dugout, Judge received a curtain call from the crowd of 39,143.
It was Judge’s eighth career four-hit game and fourth game with at least six RBIs.
In his second start since being claimed off waivers from Seattle Sept. 14, Luke Weaver (3-5) allowed four hits in 5 1/3 innings for his first win since July 3 with Cincinnati.
Jhony Brito allowed Christian Walker’s 31st homer and pitched 3 2/3 innings for his first career save.
Pfaadt allowed six runs (five earned) and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings with eight strikeouts.
–Field Level Media