NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge hit his major league-leading 43rd home run, Jose Trevino had his first multihomer game and the New York Yankees beat the Seattle Mariners 7-2 Monday night in a series opener between teams bulking up for the postseason.
Anthony Rizzo started the onslaught with a three-run homer in the first, and New York clinched its 31st consecutive winning record at home (41-13), second only to its big league standard of 47 in row from 1918-64. The Yankees are 70-34, the first team to reach 70 wins this year.
Before the game, the Yankees acquired starter Frankie Montas and reliever Lou Trivino from Oakland, three days after Seattle obtained Luis Castillo, perhaps the best available starter on the trade market. Castillo is lined up to start the series finale on Wednesday against Yankees ace Gerrit Cole.
“Just a dominant starter, been a dominant starter for quite a while now,” Judge said of Montas. “He’s got some ridiculous stuff and just happy that we don’t have to face that down the road again.”
Rizzo put the Yankees ahead in the first with a three-run homer off Marco Gonzales (6-11). The drive over the Yankees’ bullpen in right was Rizzo’s fourth homer in six games and raised his season total to 26 along with 65 RBIs.
“It’s a really good hitter that’s finding a little groove,” manager Aaron Boone said. “He’s been working hard on kind of finding that sweet spot.”
After Kyle Lewis’ solo homer in the second against Domingo Germán (1-1), Judge hit a two-run drive in the bottom half. Judge also leads the majors with 93 RBIs.
Trevino homered in the fourth and added a drive into Monument Park in the eighth against Ryan Borucki. The first-time All-Star has his nine homers this year, matching his total in four previous big league seasons, and set a career high…