In an electrifying Game 5 of the World Series, the New York Yankees saw their star outfielder, Aaron Judge, break free from his postseason struggle by hitting his inaugural home run of the series. Judge launched a two-run homer in the first inning, propelling the Yankees ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Prior to this game, Judge’s batting record in October had been troubling, with an average of only .152. He had also hit just .133 in his first World Series appearance. However, he made an immediate impact by sending a powerful 403-foot shot to right-center field off of Dodgers starter Jack Flaherty, right on the first pitch he faced. The shot was set up by Juan Soto, who had reached first base after drawing a walk.

With this latest achievement, Judge notched his 16th postseason home run and his third of the current postseason. He is widely predicted to secure his second American League MVP title next month, adding to his accolades. Remarkably, his prior home run before this game had occurred on October 17, during a crucial tying hit against Cleveland in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series, marking a lengthy 29-plate appearance homer drought.

Adding to the Yankees’ excitement, Jazz Chisholm Jr. soon followed Judge’s explosive hit with a home run of his own against Flaherty. This back-to-back home run moment marked the fifth occurrence in World Series history for the Yankees, a feat not seen since 1977 when legends Thurman Munson and Reggie Jackson accomplished the same during Game 5 at Dodger Stadium.