SEATTLE (AP) — Aaron Judge provided the perfect start to a night where Masahiro Tanaka knew he was going to be in the spotlight.
Judge delivered. So did Tanaka.
Judge became the third-fastest player in baseball history to reach 100 home runs, Tanaka threw seven sharp innings and outpitched Yusei Kikuchi in a showdown of Japanese starters, and the New York Yankees beat the Seattle Mariners 7-0 on Tuesday night.
Judge joined elite company on the first pitch he saw from Kikuchi, hitting a two-run homer off the batter’s eye in center field in the first inning.