‘It’s an incredible honor’ says Aaron Judge after tying Roger Maris’ American League home run record
Aaron Judge finally hit is 61st home run in the Yankees 8-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday night.
In the seventh inning when the game was tied 3-3, Judge sent a sinker deep over the wall to tie Roger Maris’ record which had stood since 1961.
Going into Wednesday’s game Judge had been homerless in seven consecutive ball games.
Aaron Judge hits his 61st home run to tie Roger Maris’ Single Season American League homerun record
Roger Maris(left) takes picture next to Sal Durante (right), after Durante caught his 61st homerun
Judge trots down the first base path as his record-tying 61st homerun sails over the fence
‘It was pretty cool. I wasn’t expecting it,’ Judge said in his postgame, on-field interview. ‘Seeing the love from my teammates, I do what I do for them. And to do it in a win, it’s tough to describe right now.
‘I was just trying to go up there, start a rally and get something going. It’s an incredible honor, a lot of emotions and it took me a little longer than I wanted it to.
‘I’m nothing without my family, they mean the world to me, the reason why I am here and the reason that I am who I am.
‘I gave a nod to Roger Maris Jr, it means a lot that he showed up here. I love these moments, a moment like that, those are the moments you look for.’
Following the conclusion of the game home plate umpire Brian O’Nora congratulated Judge just outside the Yankees dugout, before handing him the official lineup card from the night’s game.
‘I’m playing a kid’s a game and I love this. I love these moments,’ Judge said. ‘It was a 3-3 game, and I just wanted to go out there, and do my job.’
Judges homerun gave the Yankees a 5-3 lead, which was extended to 6-3 before the end of the inning.
‘The inning before, the Blue Jays scored three runs, and I just wanted to get up there and get something going,’ Judge said. ‘It’s an incredible honor. This is something pretty special.’
The Yankees dug out empties out to congratulate Judge on his record-tying 61st home run
Roger Maris Jr(middle left) sits next to Judge’s mother Patty during the game in Toronto
Roger Maris Jr. was in attendance in Toronto to witness, to witness his record finally be broken. He had also attended the games during New York’s last home stand when Judge had failed to hit the record-breaking longball.
Many consider Maris’ 61 as the ‘clean’ home run record, but Judge who is a native of California did not shy away from accrediting Barry Bonds as the all-time record holder.
‘That’s the record,’ said Judge, who graduated from Linden High School in San Joaquin County, about an hour and a half east of the San Francisco Bay. ‘I watched him do it. I stayed up late watching him do it. That’s the record. No one can take that from him.’
Judge comes out to salute the crowd after he hits his record-tying 61st homerun in Toronto