DailyExpertNews
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New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge broke Roger Maris’ single-season American League home run record, his 62nd blast of the year in a game Tuesday against the Texas Rangers.
Judge set the record homerun off Rangers starting pitcher Jesus Tinoco in the first inning of the second game of a double header in Arlington, Texas.
The Yankees leadoff hitter launched the third pitch of his first at bat against Tinoco in the left field seats. A fan was seen jumping or falling over the nearby left field wall and disappearing behind the fence.
According to reporters during the match, a fan who caught the historic ball was escorted through security in the seating area.
Yankees players poured out of the dugout to enthusiastically greet their teammate as he touched home plate.
Last Wednesday, the 30-year old jury ruled in favor of Maris with a line-drive homer in the top of the seventh inning off pitcher Tim Mayza of the Toronto Blue Jays.
Judge struckout in the second inning on Tuesday and in the bottom of the inning, Yankees manager Aaron Boone pulled him out of the game amid cheers from the crowd at Globe Life Field.
Maris hit 61 home runs 61 years ago in 1961, breaking Babe Ruth’s record of 60 in 1927. Barry Bonds set the Major League-record with 73 home runs in 2001.
The other two players to hit more home runs than Judge in a season are Mark McGwire (who did that twice) and Sammy Sosa (three times).
It is unclear if Judge will play the final game of the regular season on Wednesday, but he has a chance of winning the American League triple crown (captaining the circuit in batting average, runs batted in and home runs).
Judge is the first in homeruns and RBI’s, but follows Minnesota Twins star Luis Arráez in batting average.
Homerun records are not new to Judge. He also holds the American League record for rookies with 52 in 2017. While that was the highest point in the Major League at the time, Pete Alonso of the New York Mets hit 53 as a rookie in 2019.