The New York Yankees continued their strong start to the season with a 4-2 victory over the Texas Rangers on Monday night.

Historic Home Run Duo

Aaron Judge and Ben Rice made history by hitting back-to-back home runs, the first time the Yankees have accomplished this feat this season. Judge, celebrating his 34th birthday, hit his 11th home run, tying him for the major league lead.

Rice followed with his 10th home run in just 11 games, demonstrating his growing power. This pair became only the second Yankee duo to each hit 10+ home runs in the first 29 games, joining Mickey Mantle and Yogi Berra (1956).

Additional Offensive Contributions

Jazz Chisholm Jr. also contributed to the Yankees’ offense, hitting his third home run in five games after a slow start to the season.

Pitching and Defense Shine

Max Fried delivered a stellar pitching performance, scattering four singles over six scoreless innings while pitching out of the stretch. The Yankees’ bullpen, led by David Bednar, secured the win despite allowing an unearned run in the ninth inning.

The Yankees’ defense also stood out, recording their 38th pickoff since 2017 – the most in MLB during that period – and their first four-game pickoff streak since 1995.

Rangers’ Performance

Texas starter Jack Leiter struggled, allowing three home runs in six innings. Joc Pederson provided a late spark for the Rangers with a solo home run in the seventh inning.

Corey Seager, a two-time World Series MVP, went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts on his 32nd birthday.

Looking Ahead

The Yankees will send Cam Schlittler to the mound on Tuesday night. The Rangers will counter with Jacob deGrom, who has a 2-0 record and a 2.13 ERA this season.