WEST SACRAMANDO, Calif. - Judge Aaron celebrated his return to the Sacramento area with two home runs Saturday, celebrating his return to the Sacramento area, the New York Yankees' failed track and field effort, extending his major league lead total to 14.
The judge competed in the Sacramento area for the first time since New York University visited A temporary home near the California capital.
Born in Sacramento, the judge grew up in Linden, and has many friends and family in the 12,113 crowds in the Little League Park where A hosted A.
"It feels like being at home," the judge said after the Yankees won Friday night. "It's always familiar to me whenever we play A, and it's familiar to me. It's special."
In a 1-1 home run in the 4th walk and two openers, the judge awarded A's owner John Fisher on Saturday with an 11-7 victory.
He led the fourth inning with JP Sears home run and then connected again to a sixth game against Justin Sterner, which made Yankees fans happy in the game, many of whom shouted “MVP! MVP!”
"Not surprising," Yankees starter Carlos Rodon said. "Another waving the huge fluctuations as he always did. It's really good."
The second home run gave Judge No. 14 this season and gave him 41 professional multiplayer games, the fourth in Yankees history.
The judge led the batting average (.396), base percentage (.486), hit rate percentage (.772), home runs and RBI (37).
When A announced plans to play in this minor league park last season, Fisher said he was happy to see what players like the judge could do in a stadium known for their offense.
"We are excited to play this beautiful stadium for the next three years, but also be able to watch some of the best players in baseball, whether they are track and field athletes or Judge Aaron, everyone else stands out in this very intimate game, the closest stadium in the AFC," he said.
The ball gave everyone a good performance, including the team with six home runs – including the first three shots from Shea Langeliers, shocking A pitcher Fernando Cruz.
Cruz said he went backing up the plate, assuming it could be a potential sacrifice fly, just seeing the ball shoot out.
"It's the same for all of us," Cruz said. "It's the same for another team, and the same for other teammates. I have to come back tomorrow to do the same thing, pitch and find a better place."
The stadium, which was previously only used in Triple-A Pacific Coast League, had a total of 2.75 home runs - more than 40% of the home runs scored last season at the Oakland Coliseum.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said of how the ball was carried: “I’m sure PCL is named as the summer builds up and calories build up.” “If I said I knew how this place would play, I would have said it. The whole process is different today.”