NEW YORK — Aaron Judge became the first player in Yankees history with two three-homer games in a season, and New York beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-1 on Friday.
The Diamondbacks snapped their five-game hitting streak. Their lead over the Chicago Cubs was cut to one game for the second of three wild-card spots available for the playoffs in the National League.
Arizona fell to 1-7 against New York teams this season after losing six of seven against the Mets.
Judge hit a three-run homer in the third inning and freshman starter Brandon Piffatt (2-9) hit a two-run homer in the fifth. The slugger hit his third home run in the seventh inning with no men on the tracks against Slade Cacconi.
It was Judge’s second three-homer game of his career. Both have arrived last month.
He snapped a nine-game hitting streak for New York on August 23 at home against Washington, its worst since 1982.
Luke Weaver (3-5) gets his first hit against the Yankees. Dominican Johnny Brito got Christian Walker’s 31st home run, but got his first save in the third and third innings.
For the Diamondbacks, Dominicans Ketel Marte is 4-1, Geraldo Perdomo is 3-2. Cuba Lourdes Curiel 4-0. Gabriel Moreno of Venezuela 2-0.
For the Yankees, Dominican Estevan Florial went 2 for 5 with one run and one RBI. Venezuela’s Gleyber Torres scored 4-0, Oswaldo Cabrera scored one goal in 4-1, and Oswald Peraza scored two goals in 4-2.
