Aaron Judge’s 1st-Inning Home Run Lifts Yankees Over Marlins In Home Opener

Aaron Judge hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the first inning, and the New York Yankees beat the Miami Marlins in their home opener Friday, 8-2, for their second 6-1 start in three seasons. Trent Grisham reached leading off with the first of 11 walks by Marlins pitchers and Judge drove a slider into the left-field seats against Eury Perez (0-1). Judge, who had three RBIs, hit a record 20 first-inning home runs last year, when he finished with 53 altogether. Three of Judge’s five hits this season have been home runs. Ben Rice homered and hit a two-run double for the Yankees. Will Warren (1-0) allowed four hits in 5 2/3 innings, including solo homers by Xavier Edwards in the first and Owen Caissie in the fifth. Miami entered the game at 5-1, matching its franchise-best start, and had spent six days atop the NL East — double its total for 2021-25 combined. Miami pitchers had their most walks since April 2023; they had walked just nine in the team’s first six games. Pérez (0-1) allowed four runs, two hits and a career-high six walks in four innings. He forced in runs on consecutive pitches in the second when he walked Grisham and hit Judge. Tyler Phillips threw a run-scoring wild pitch in the sixth. Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Jose Caballero each had two stolen bases and Judge one off catcher Liam Hicks, who has allowed 60 steals in 66 attempts since reaching the major leagues last year. Up next, Yankees LHP Ryan Weathers (0-0), who was acquired from the Marlins in January, starts Saturday night against Miami RHP Max Meyer (0-0). Reporting by The Associated Press.