New York, Aug 24 – In a stunning display of power hitting, Aaron Judge achieved his first career three-homer game, leading the New York Yankees to a decisive 9-1 victory over the Washington Nationals. The Yankees’ triumphant performance ended their nine-game losing streak, a drought not witnessed since 1982.
With this win, the Yankees halted their slide that began on August 11 and narrowly avoided a potential 10-game losing streak, a feat they haven’t experienced since 1913. The victory also provided a much-needed boost to the team after general manager Brian Cashman publicly labeled the season a “disaster” during a pregame press conference.
Judge’s dominant performance unfolded from the start. In the opening inning, he delivered a solo home run off MacKenzie Gore (6-10), allowing the Yankees to seize their first lead in 61 innings. This put an end to the third-longest leadless streak in the team’s history, just two innings shy of breaking the record set in August 1906.
Judge’s contributions were far from over. In the second inning, he extended the Yankees’ lead to 6-0 with a grand slam, marking his fifth career grand slam. In the seventh, he solidified his position as a historic player in the team’s ranks by becoming the 25th player in Yankees’ history to achieve a three-home-run game.
Pitcher Luis Severino (3-8) fortified the Yankees’ victory by holding the Nationals scoreless throughout the game and conceding just one hit. His outstanding performance included a season-high 6 2/3 innings pitched.
With Judge’s spectacular hitting display and Severino’s dominant pitching, the Yankees not only halted their losing streak but also demonstrated their resilience and determination to return to winning form.
In a season marked by ups and downs, the Yankees’ triumph on this night showcased their ability to rebound and defy the odds, injecting renewed hope and excitement into the team and its fans.