Judge Powers Yankees Past Red Sox, Extends Winning Streak

Aaron Judge's bat came alive at precisely the right moment Sunday at Yankee Stadium, as the Yankees slugger ended a brutal homerless stretch with back-to-back power displays that propelled New York past the Boston Red Sox 5-2. Judge, whose major league-leading 53rd home run highlighted the victory, also delivered his 132nd RBI of the season—tops across baseball—as the Yankees extended their winning streak to seven games and improved to 87-63. The breakthrough came after Judge endured his most pressing challenge of the season, a career-high 16-game homerless streak that tested even the most patient observers at the Stadium. But the Bronx native's return to form proved decisive. Beyond Judge's individual contributions, the Yankees' lineup showed balance: Giancarlo Stanton delivered an RBI single and sacrifice fly, while Carlos Rodón notched his career-best 15th win on the mound. The victory positions New York perfectly heading into a critical road trip. The Yankees moved to 87-63 and opened a three-game lead over second-place Baltimore in the AL East, placing them on the verge of clinching a postseason berth after missing the playoffs entirely last year for the first time since 2016. New York took three of four games in the series with Boston, setting up a seven-game journey to Seattle and Oakland with postseason momentum. Judge's 53-homer milestone also placed him in rarified Bronx air—he joined Babe Ruth (1921, 1927), Roger Maris (1961), and Mickey Mantle (1961) as Yankees with at least 53 home runs through their team's first 150 games. The Yankees won for the seventh time in their last 10 contests, demonstrating the kind of consistency that could define their playoff push.