WATCH: Yankees’ Aaron Judge CRUSHES homer in 1st Wild Card at-bat

by Felix Pantaleón

Yankees star Aaron Judge crushes a two-run home run in the first inning of the AL Wild Card game vs. A’s at Yankee Stadium.

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NEW YORK — The Bronx shook.

Yankees slugger Aaron Judge launched a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning for a 2-0 lead over the A’s in the American League Wild Card Game on Wednesday night.

The stadium went nuts as Judge’s ball sailed over the wall, scoring leadoff man Andrew McCutchen, who walked.

Judge ripped a 2-1, 96-mph fastball from Liam Hendriks into the left-field stands.

It would stay that way, as the Yankees wouldn’t get another run in the inning.

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Here are some Yankees notes going into the game, via the team’s media relations department:

WILD THINGS: The Yankees will play in the postseason for the 54th time in the franchise’s 116-year history…have qualified for the postseason in 20 of the last 24 seasons since 1995 (missed in 2008, ’13-14, ’16).
>> Marks their seventh AL Wild Card berth (1995, ’97, 2007, ’10, ’15, ’17-18) and their third appearance in the AL Wild Card Game (lost in 2015 vs. Houston, won in 2017 vs. Minnesota, both at home)… will match Pittsburgh (1-2 in NLWCG from 2013-15, all at home) for the most total appearances by a team in the Wild Card Game… Colorado (1-1 in 2017-18) is the only team other than the Yankees and Pirates to play in the Wild Card Game in consecutive years.
>> Join the Pirates as the only teams to have ever hosted multiple Wild Card Games… home teams are 5-7 all-time in the Wild Card Game (AL 3-3, NL 2-4).
>> The Yankees’ and A’s’ 197 combined regular season wins are the most ever in a Wild Card Game, surpassing the 2015 Pirates (98) and Cubs (97), who combined for 195.
>> Have won all three of their prior postseason series vs. Oakland, going 9-4 in 13 postseason games (3-2 in the 2001 ALDS, 3-2 in the 2000 ALDS, and 3-0 in the 1981 ALCS).

THE HUNDREDS: With a 100-62 (.617) mark, the Yankees recorded the 20th 100-win season in franchise history… are responsible for 20 of the 104 seasons in which a Major League team reached 100 wins… marks their highest win total since going 103-59 in 2009.
>> Was the third-best record in the Majors (and AL) despite finishing second in the AL East… with Boston (108-54, .667) and Houston (103-59, .636), marked the first time in Major League history that one league had three 100-win teams.

Brendan Kuty may be reached at bkuty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.