The New York Yankees have etched their name into the annals of Major League Baseball history, becoming the first team ever to start a game with three consecutive home runs multiple times in a single season. On Tuesday night, it was Trent Grisham, Aaron Judge, and Ben Rice who showcased their power, all connecting off Baltimore’s Kyle Gibson in the very first inning.
This latest display of offensive firepower came just days after the Yankees launched three homers in a row in a game against Milwaukee, with Paul Goldschmidt, Cody Bellinger, and Judge raining long balls on the Brewers’ pitching—doing so with just three pitches. Not stopping there, both instances featured the Yankees clocking in a fourth homer in the first inning. This impressive feat marks them as the first team to crush four home runs in the opening frame on two occasions within the same season.
The Bronx Bombers wasted no time, sending three of the first five pitches of the game soaring into the right field bleachers. Judge reflected on the explosive start, noting, “Grish got it going for us and set the tone for us early on. When he goes up there and sends one to Eutaw Street, it’s pretty impressive and gets you going.” With a resounding 15-3 victory under their belts, the Yankees’ momentum is undeniably palpable.
For Gibson, it was a tough return to the majors. After logging 30 starts with the St. Louis Cardinals last season, he signed a one-year, $5.25 million deal with the Orioles but had been laboring in the minors until his recent call-up. Unfortunately for him, he struggled tremendously on Tuesday, yielding nine runs and 11 hits before being yanked with two outs in the fourth inning. Orioles manager Brandon Hyde summed up the situation succinctly: “He gave up four homers in the first inning. That’s kind of a telling sign. At that point, I’m just trying to figure out how we’re going to get through the game.”
Following Rice’s initial blast that put New York up 3-0, Gibson managed to retire Goldschmidt, only for Bellinger to follow suit with a home run of his own. Anthony Volpe then contributed to the early onslaught with an RBI double, pushing the Yankees’ lead to 5-0 before even stepping away from the first inning. Rice wasn’t finished, either; he added another home run in the second inning, bringing the score to 6-0. Austin Wells capped off the Yankees’ long ball fest in the ninth, solidifying their dominance, with all six home runs coming with no runners on base. Rice encapsulated the team’s depth nicely, stating, “It just shows that we’ve got a lot of depth in the lineup.”
However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing for the Yankees. Jazz Chisholm Jr., who had been scuffling with a .181 batting average and seven home runs this season, left the game early due to right flank discomfort. In a bit of irony, Chisholm appeared to hurt himself at the plate but still managed to hit a double and advance to third following an error by right fielder Ramon Laureano. Chisholm downplayed concerns about his injury, stating confidently, “I’m really not as concerned as everybody else. I tore my oblique before. I know it’s not torn or anything.”
Despite some hiccups, the Yankees’ historic power surge is a clear demonstration of their offensive capabilities, heralding excitement for what could lie ahead as they continue their march through the season.
