DETROIT (AP) — Aaron Judge hit his major league-leading 44th home run and Gerrit Cole struck out eight in six innings as the New York Yankees beat the Detroit Tigers 3-0 on Friday night.
Oswald Peraza also went deep in his first big league game this season for the Yankees, who improved to 4-0 against Detroit. New York, which began the day tied with Baltimore atop the AL East, won its third straight.
One game after hitting his 300th career home run, becoming by far the fastest player to reach the milestone, Judge connected for No. 301 in the eighth, a 431-foot drive that gave the Yankees a 3-0 cushion.
Top prospects Jace Jung and Trey Sweeney made their major league debuts for the Tigers at third base and shortstop, respectively — the first time Detroit debuted two infielders on the same day since Lou Whitaker and Alan Trammell began their careers together on Sept. 9, 1977.
Cole (4-2) allowed four hits and issued two walks — both to Jung. Three relievers finished for New York, with Clay Holmes pitching the ninth to earn his 26th save.
