The New York Yankees made history in their 13-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday by hitting nine home runs, becoming the first team in Major League Baseball (MLB) history to achieve this feat. The game, played at George M. Steinbrenner Field, saw the Yankees set a new record for the most home runs in a single game, with the milestone being the first time any team has had multiple games with nine or more homers. According to baseball journalist Sarah Langs, this accomplishment marks a significant moment in the league’s history.
The Yankees’ performance was characterized by an aggressive approach from the outset. They jumped on Rays starter Shane Baz immediately, with Aaron Judge launching a 92-mph cutter 429 feet into center field for a 1-0 lead. This was Judge’s 40th home run of the season and the fourth time in his career he had reached that mark. He joined a rare club of Yankees with at least four 40-homer seasons, alongside Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Mickey Mantle.
Cody Bellinger and Giancarlo Stanton also played crucial roles in the Yankees’ dominance, with Bellinger hitting a 92-mph cutter 381 feet over the right-field wall for a 2-0 lead, and Stanton launching a 99-mph fastball 386 feet over the right-center field wall to extend the lead to 3-0. The trio of Judge, Bellinger, and Stanton hitting back-to-back-to-back home runs marked the third time the Yankees have done so this season, making them the first team in MLB history to achieve this feat three times in one season.
The game continued to be a display of power, as the Yankees’ third baseman Jose Caballero hit a two-run homer against his former team, the Rays, in the second inning, making it 5-0. The Rays managed to score two runs in the bottom of the second, but the Yankees immediately responded with a 382-foot home run from second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr., increasing the lead to 6-2. Stanton added his second homer of the night in the fourth inning, a three-run blast off reliever Ian Seymour that stretched the lead to 9-2. Catcher Ben Rice followed with a solo shot to make it 10-2, and in the top of the sixth, Bellinger added a two-run homer, pushing the lead to 12-2. Caballero capped the night in the ninth inning with his second homer of the game, sealing the Yankees’ 13-3 victory.
The Yankees, with a record of 68-57, won their fourth consecutive game and will look to extend their winning streak on Wednesday when they face the Rays in the finale of the two-game series. The game’s significance was further highlighted by the Yankees’ historic performance, which not only showcased their offensive prowess but also set new records in MLB history.