Judge matches Ruth with 321 homers in first 1,000 Yankees games in 9-4 win over struggling Pirates

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New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge, left, celebrates with Ben Rice after hitting a two-run home run off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Tim Mayza during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

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New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge celebrates with Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) after hitting a two-run home run off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Tim Mayza during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

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New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Tim Mayza during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

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New York Yankees starting pitcher Max Fried delivers during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

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New York Yankees’ Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) swings and misses on a pitch from Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Tim Mayza during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

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New York Yankees’ Oswaldo Cabrera hts an RBI single off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Mitch Keller during the third inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

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Pittsburgh Pirates’ Bryan Reynolds, top, rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run off New York Yankees starting pitcher Max Fried (54) during the third inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

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New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge spits out his gum after striking out against Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Mitch Keller in the second inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

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Pittsburgh Pirates’ Bryan Reynolds crosses home plate after hitting a solo home run off New York Yankees starting pitcher Max Fried during the third inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

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New York Yankees’ Jasson Domínguez, center, and Trent Grisham, right, are greeted by Ben Rice (22) after scoring on a single by Oswaldo Cabrera off Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Mitch Keller during the second inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

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New York Yankees’ Jazz Chisholm Jr. stands on-deck during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

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New York Yankees’ manager Aaron Boone stands in the dugout during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

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Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton, bottom, stands in the dugout with bench coach Don Kelly, top, during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees in Pittsburgh, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

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Pittsburgh Pirates owner Bob Nutting visits the field for pre-game activities before the team’s home-opening baseball game against the New York Yankees in Pittsburgh, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

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New York Yankees pitcher Max Fried delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

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Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Mitch Keller delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees in Pittsburgh, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

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People watch a helicopter flyover of PNC Park before the home-opening baseball game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the New York Yankees in Pittsburgh, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

By WILL GRAVES

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Aaron Judge marked his 1,000th game by hitting his sixth homer of the season and the New York Yankees beat Pittsburgh 9-4 on Friday in the Pirates’ home opener.

Judge’s shot to the seats in right-center in the seventh off Tim Mayza — who surrendered Judge’s 61st home run during Judge’s record-breaking 2022 season — boosted his career total to 321, the most by a player through his first 1,000 games. Those 321 homers also matched the number hit by Babe Ruth during his first 1,000 games with the Yankees.

Coming off his second AL MVP award, Judge has 17 RBIs in seven games.

Oswaldo Cabrera went 3 for 4 with four RBIs for New York. Anthony Volpe added three hits as the Yankees gave Max Fried (1-0) more than enough run support for the left-hander to collect his first Yankees win in pinstripes. Fried allowed one run and six hits with a walk and six strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.

Pittsburgh’s Mitch Keller (1-1) didn’t make it out of the fourth inning on his 29th birthday. Six days removed from relatively smooth sailing against Miami, Keller didn’t fare so well against the torpedo-bat-wielding Yankees.

Not PARSE.LY: Aaron Judge

New York Yankees' J.C. Escarra reacts after doubling on a line drive during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Thursday, April 3, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

After career detours as Uber driver and substitute teacher, J.C. Escarra gets first big league hit

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge and Jazz Chisholm Jr. celebrate after Chisholm Jr. homered on a line drive to right field during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Thursday, April 3, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Judge’s three-run homer powers Yankees past Diamondbacks 9-7

New York Yankees' Ben Rice runs to home plate after Aaron Judge homered on a fly ball to right center field during the first inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Thursday, April 3, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Aaron Judge homers for 500th extra-base hit and has 4 RBIs to lead Yankees past Diamondbacks 9-7

While Keller kept New York in the yard during 3 2/3 innings, that’s about all that went right. Keller allowed seven runs, eight hits and and four strikeouts as Pittsburgh fell to 2-6.

Ke’Bryan Hayes and Bryan Reynolds both hit their first homers of the season for the Pirates, who were met with chants of “Sell The Team” on a handful of occasions, most audibly during back-to-back plays in the third in which shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa and recently acquired outfielder Alexander Canario made shaky plays in the field.

Key moment

After Reynolds’ solo shot in the third gave the Pirates a small boost, the Yankees scored three runs in the fourth — all with two outs — to push their advantage to 8-1.

Key stat

139-38 — New York’s record since 2020 when Judge goes deep.

Up next

LHP Bailey Falter (0-0, 3.00 ERA) starts for Pittsburgh on Saturday and RHP Marcus Stroman (0-0, 5.79) for New York.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb