Yankees captain Judge hits his career 351st home run, tying for sixth in franchise history.

On the night of August 12, 2016, Alex Rodriguez played his final game at Yankee Stadium. The next afternoon, Aaron Judge made a stunning debut by hitting his first career home run, shattering the glass of the Monument Park restaurant and marking the beginning of a Bronx legend.

Nearly a decade later, the paths of these two power hitters crossed again. In the third game of the series held today at Truist Park, Judge hit his 351st career home run in the first inning, helping the Yankees defeat the Braves 4-2. This achievement ties him with A-Rod, placing him sixth on the franchise's all-time home run list.

"This is an incredible honor," Judge admitted, "growing up witnessing A-Rod's achievements in pinstripes—he's a legend, one of the greatest players of all time. To stand alongside him in Yankees history is extraordinary, but the journey isn't over."

Babe Ruth leads the franchise with 659 home runs, followed by Mickey Mantle (536), Lou Gehrig (493), Joe DiMaggio (361), and Yogi Berra (358).

Judge's home run against right-hander Grant Holmes was his 36th of the season and also his first at Truist Park—making this his 32nd different ballpark in which he has hit a home run. Among active players, he is tied for third with Willy Adames, Randal Grichuk, and Carlos Santana, trailing Giancarlo Stanton (36 parks) and Manny Machado (34 parks).

Given the Yankees' fatigued bullpen, starting pitcher Marcus Stroman delivered a quality start, allowing just one run over six innings (with only a solo home run by Matt Olson in the sixth). His performance perfectly complemented Judge's first-inning home run and Paul Goldschmidt's timely hit.

"My goal is to go six to seven innings," Stroman stated, "that's the responsibility of a starting pitcher. Today was especially important, given the strain on the bullpen."

Yankees manager Aaron Boone revealed that he intentionally avoided using relievers Jonathan Loáisiga, Luke Weaver, JT Brubaker, and Scott Effross. The strategy involved Stroman exiting after six, followed by Ian Hamilton and Tim Hill, with Devin Williams closing the game successfully.

Stroman pitched six innings, allowing five hits without any walks while striking out four, working seamlessly with catcher Ben Rice. "He kept mixing his pitches beautifully," Boone commented, "remaining unpredictable and effectively using all his pitches to attack both sides of the plate. Rice's guidance was invaluable."

Judge added, "The Braves' lineup has both power and skill, making it challenging to break through. Stroman completely dominated today; it was an enjoyable experience watching the game."

Since returning from injury on June 30, Stroman has made four starts (21 innings) with a record of 2-0 and an earned run average of 3.00.

"The key for Stroman is his aggression in attacking the strike zone," Boone emphasized, "while maintaining the ability to control both corners."

Jorbit Vivas made a spectacular diving catch in the third inning to avert a crisis: he snagged a foul ball from Jurickson Profar, allowing Stroman to induce a double play off Olson to end the inning. "That was the biggest threat from the opponent," Boone praised, "Vivas' diving catch was like a superhero coming to the rescue."

Stroman remarked, "In an instant, we had runners on first and second. His catch completely shifted the momentum of the game."

Vivas also contributed in the sixth by taking a hit-by-pitch from Holmes (with the bases loaded), pushing the Yankees' third run across. Jazz Chisholm Jr. then hit a two-run double off Dane Dunning in the seventh.

Though Williams allowed a solo home run to Ronald Acuña Jr. in the ninth, he still secured his 14th save of the season, helping the team head to Toronto with a series victory. The Yankees (55-44) will challenge the AL East-leading Blue Jays (58-41) tomorrow on the road, currently trailing their opponents by three games.

"This game is significant, setting the tone for our trip to Toronto," Judge stated, "it's the perfect time to ignite our momentum."