Hitting four home runs in the first inning on Saturday was just the beginning for the New York Yankees.
After starting the game with back-to-back-to-back homers off Milwaukee Brewers starter Nestor Cortes, the Yankees continued their onslaught with eight through the first four innings, ultimately setting a franchise record with nine home runs in eventual 20-9 win.
Reigning MVP Aaron Judge was responsible for three of the team’s first eight homers, the second of which was a grand slam in the third inning. Paul Goldschmidt and Cody Bellinger homered opening frame, the first 2025 longball for each of the sluggers who joined the Yankees in the offseason.
Austin Wells (first inning), Anthony Volpe (second), Jazz Chisholm (third) and Oswald Peraza (seventh) also hit home runs in the team’s record-setting performance.
While the Yankees’ offense was doing big things, the team was badly struggling defensively on Saturday, committing five errors in the first five innings. Starter Max Fried, making his Yankees debut after signing a $218 million free agent deal, lasted 4 ⅔ innings and was charged with six runs (two earned), but was himself responsible for one of the errors.
MLB record for most home runs in a game
The MLB team record for home runs in a game is 10, accomplished by the Toronto Blue Jays in 1987.
Prior to the Yankees on Saturday, the Cincinnati Reds were the only other team to hit nine homers in a game on Sept. 4, 1999. Current Yankees manager Aaron Boone hit one of the Reds’ nine home runs that day.
Yankees hit back-to-back-to-back home runs
The Yankees didn’t welcome Nestor Cortes back to the Bronx very kindly.
Making his Brewers debut at Yankee Stadium after an offseason trade, the former All-Star gave up back-to-back-to-back home runs to Goldschmidt, Bellinger and Judge – on three pitches – to start the first inning on Saturday. After finally getting two outs in the frame, Cortes surrendered his fourth home run of the inning to catcher Austin Wells.
Aaron Judge grand slam
Judge followed his home run off Cortes in the first with a grand slam in the third and a solo shot in the fourth, both against Milwaukee reliever Connor Thomas. The 26-year-old lefty surrendered eight runs in two innings of work, coming on for Cortes who also gave up eight runs in two innings.
Judge narrowly missed a record-tying fourth homer in the sixth inning, settling for an RBI double off the wall in right field.
Aaron Judge stats today
Aaron Judge was 4-for-6 with three home runs, a double and eight RBI on Saturday against the Brewers, scoring four runs and accumulating 14 total bases.
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
