Aaron Judge crushes epic 444-foot homer to lift Yankees over Mariners in wild series finish

When the moment mattered most, Aaron Judge delivered like only he can. With the game tied in the eighth inning and the tension at its peak, Judge stepped to the plate in what had been an underwhelming afternoon — just 1-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts. Then came the pitch that changed everything. Mariners reliever Carlos Vargas left a slider up in the zone, and Judge didn’t miss. The Yankees’ captain launched a jaw-dropping 444-foot home run to left-center, clocked at 117.7 mph off the bat — the hardest hit at T-Mobile Park in the Statcast era. As the ball rocketed out of sight, even Mariners outfielder Randy Arozarena didn’t bother moving.That one swing lifted the Yankees to a thrilling 3-2 comeback victory over the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday afternoon, sealing another series win and extending their hot stretch before heading home for the much-anticipated Subway Series.Judge’s blast wasn’t just another long ball — it was his MLB-leading 15th home run of the season. He also tops the majors in batting average (.412) and RBIs (41), reinforcing his status as the most dominant hitter in the game right now.While Judge sealed the game, Paul Goldschmidt was the spark that ignited the rally. The veteran first baseman came off the bench in the seventh and wasted no time, drilling a game-tying solo shot down the left field line on the very first pitch he saw from lefty Gabe Speier. Goldschmidt’s mastery against southpaws continues, now batting an eye-popping .571 (20-for-35) with four home runs against them this year.New York’s comeback began an inning earlier with back-to-back two-out doubles from Anthony Volpe and Jasson Domínguez, finally breaking through against Seattle starter Luis Castillo, who had otherwise kept the Yankees quiet.Rookie Will Warren turned in another encouraging outing, striking out a career-high nine over five innings. Though two unearned runs came across due to a defensive lapse involving DJ LeMahieu and Ben Rice in the third inning, Warren’s poise on the mound kept the game close.The bullpen held firm, with Ian Hamilton earning the win and Fernando Cruz working out of a tense eighth inning. Luke Weaver slammed the door in the ninth, striking out the side for his fourth save of the season.This wasn’t just another win. It was a statement from a team led by a superstar who’s rewriting what greatness looks like — one titanic home run at a time.Also Read: “I’m honored to be here”- Reds’ manager Terry Francona says as team pays tribute to MLB legend Pete Rose