Aaron Judge hit a grand slam to lead the New York Yankees to a 5-4 victory over the Boston Red Sox, ending his 16-game homerless streak. Judge, who claimed not to be aware of the streak, broke it at a crucial moment in the seventh inning with a go-ahead homer off Cam Booser. The win increased the Yankees’ lead in the AL East to three games over Baltimore with 14 games left to play.
While Judge downplayed the significance of ending his homerless streak, his teammate Clarke Schmidt humorously suggested that Judge was well aware of the drought. The grand slam, Judge’s eighth career slam and second of the season, ignited the crowd at Yankee Stadium and the players in the dugout, prompting Judge to take a curtain call.
Judge’s homer was his 52nd of the season, leading the majors with 130 RBIs. Prior to this game, he had not hit a home run since August 25. Despite the streak, Judge had hit nine home runs in 10 games leading up to it.
Reflecting on the streak, Judge acknowledged that it was the longest of his career but remained unfazed, suggesting that longer droughts may occur in the future. The moment was described as a special and unforgettable one by his teammates.
The victory solidified Judge’s candidacy for the AL MVP award, as he aims to claim his second MVP title in three years.
